The big letter = the root note
Every chord symbol starts with a capital letter — that's the root note. "C" means the chord is built on C. A sharp (♯ or #) raises it a half-step; a flat (♭ or b) lowers it. So "B♭" is just B-flat, and "F♯" is F-sharp.
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Full Chord Name
C Major 7th
Beginner translation: A major chord with a soft, dreamy extra note.
Notes in the Chord
CEGB
Intervals
- RootC
- Major 3rdE
- Perfect 5thG
- Major 7thB
Why It Sounds That Way
A major triad plus a major 7th — the half-step between the 7th and the root creates that famous dreamy tension.
Sounds like: Warm and jazzy — the major 7th adds a dreamy quality.
Chord Symbols Explained
A beginner's guide to reading chord notation — without the music-school jargon.
Lowercase "m" or "min" = minor
If you see Am or Amin, that's an A minor chord. No "m" means major — so plain "A" is A major. That tiny letter is the difference between a happy and a sad chord.
Numbers add extra notes
7, 9, 11, and 13 mean extra notes are added on top of the basic chord. The bigger the number, the more colorful and "jazzy" the chord usually sounds. maj7specifically means a major 7th (the dreamy one), while just 7on its own means a flat 7th (the bluesy one).
"sus", "add", "dim", "aug" — chord modifiers
sus ("suspended") swaps the 3rd for a 2nd or 4th — gives the chord a floating, unresolved feel. add just adds an extra note (like add9) without removing anything. dim means diminished (dark, tense), aug means augmented (dreamy, off-balance).
Slash chords: G/B means "G with B in the bass"
A slash chord like G/B is read as "G over B." The chord on the left (G) is what's being played; the note on the right (B) is the bass note. It's the same G chord, just with a different lowest note — usually used to create a smooth, walking bass line between chords.
Common Chord Symbols Quick Reference
Examples shown using C as the root — the same patterns apply to any letter.
| Symbol | Plain English |
|---|---|
| C | C Major (root, major 3rd, 5th) |
| Cm | C Minor (root, minor 3rd, 5th) |
| C7 | C Dominant 7th — bluesy, restless |
| Cmaj7 | C Major 7th — warm, jazzy |
| Cm7 | C Minor 7th — smooth, mellow |
| Cm7b5 | C Half-Diminished — unstable, aching |
| Cdim | C Diminished — dark, tense |
| Cdim7 | C Diminished 7th — suspenseful |
| Caug or C+ | C Augmented — dreamlike, off-balance |
| Csus2 | C Suspended 2nd — open, floating |
| Csus4 | C Suspended 4th — hopeful, unresolved |
| Cadd9 | C Add 9 — major chord with sparkle |
| C9 | C Dominant 9th — funky, bluesy |
| Cmaj9 | C Major 9th — soft, dreamy |
| Cm9 | C Minor 9th — neo-soul, melancholic |
| C11 | C Dominant 11th — gospel, soulful |
| C13 | C Dominant 13th — full, jazz-funk |
| C/E | C Major with E in the bass (slash chord) |
| G/B | G Major with B in the bass |
| Bb/D | B♭ Major with D in the bass |