Professional Documents
Culture Documents
On chord charts or lead sheets, you might find them listed in any of the
following ways:
1
Major 7th Chord Shapes
On the top line, we have drop 2 voicings. The bottom line has drop 3 voicings
(with string skip). Careful with the string skipping. Make sure to really mute
that string!
Be sure to mute any string that doesn't have a fretted note on it.
2
The most common versions are the lower-left and upper-right shapes listed
above.
It's also important to note that the Cmaj6 - often written as simply C6 -
contains the same notes as Am7: C E G A.
What about minor 7th and minor 6th chords? How do you identify those?
3
It is listed as a 6th when it's simply part of a minor 6th chord and as a 13th
when it's an upper extension of any chord.
4
Note that Cmin6 - often written simply as Cm6 or C-6 - contains the same
notes as Am7(b5): C Eb G A
5
3. Dominant 7th Chords
These often appear on charts and lead sheets in the following ways:
• 7
• 7th
• other numbers : 9, 13
• dom7
Basically, you'll know a chord is dominant when it has the chord name and the
number next to it without any sort of chord type. For example, C7, G7, A9, etc.
**Note** If your chord symbol has a number and a bracket or parenthesis with
alterations such as b9 or b13, you should go the the Altered Dominant section
of this chart.
6
Dominant 7th Chord Shapes
7
Learn to play the bottom right voicing higher on the fretboard (without the
open string).
• m7(b5)
• min7(b5)
• -7(b5)
• minor7th (flat 5th)
These often appear on charts and lead sheets in the following ways:
• dim7
• diminished(b5)
9
Diminished 7th chords are built by stacking minor 3rds and thus, they are
symmetrical. What that means is that every note in the chord can be
considered the root!
Altered dominant chords are plain old 7th chords with one or more sharps or
flats in parenthesis. These indicate altered extensions or 5ths.
In other words, they are the same note with different names. They exist this
way for spelling purposes.
F# = Gb
Therefore #11 = b5
11
It’s more convenient to NOT play the root in the C7(#9) shape on the left. I
indicated it with a white dot, but it’s optional. The bass player will usually take
care of this.
Much like the #11 and b5, the #5 and the b13 are enharmonic equivalents.
G# = Ab
Therefore #5 = b13
12
Dominant 7th (b9, b5) Chord Shapes
As with the root in the #9 chord earlier, it's easier to avoid the root altogether
in the shape on the left. The bass player will usually take care of it, anyway!
Furthermore, it’s more convenient NOT to play the root in the C7(b5 #9)
shape on the left.
13
So,
it’s more convenient NOT to play the root in the C7(#5 #9) shape on the left.
14