The Ultimate Chord Spelling List - Terms to Know

Term Definition
5 chord (aka “power chord”) A chord with only the chord tones ‘1’ and ‘5’ (no 3rd).

"add" chord A chord with an extension added, and nothing else changed.

extension A chord tone number that’s higher than 7. Often a non-essential sound that adds texture and color to the chord.

tritone The interval that is exactly half way between an octave. The distance of three whole tones.
interval The distance between two notes.
root The tonal center (the primary note) of a chord or scale (aka the ‘1’).
chord symbol that's a letter only (ie. G) Major triad.
compound interval An interval above an octave (ie. “compound 3rd”).
octave “The interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency.”
enharmonic equivalent Two different labels for the same pitch.
inversion When chord tone other than the root is the lowest note of a chord voicing.
root position When the root of a chord is the lowest note in a voicing.
rootless chord A chord voicing without the root (the root is implied).
ambiguous chord A chord voicing that’s missing a chord tone that would determine the quality (ie. ‘5 chords” are ambiguous because they’re missing the 3rd.)
shell voicing A 7th chord without the 5th (the 5th is implied).

A chord symbol indicating exactly what note should be the lowest pitch. The top symbol is the chord and the bottom letter is the bass note. The
slash chord
bottom letter can be in the main chord or not. G/B is a ‘G’ chord with ‘B’ as the lowest note. C/Ab is a ‘C’ chord with ‘Ab‘ as the lowest note.

1st inversion A chord voicing where the 3rd of the chord is the lowest note.
2nd inversion A chord voicing where the 5th of the chord is the lowest note.
3rd inversion A chord voicing where the 7th of the chord is the lowest note.
voicing A particular order of the chord tones in a chord and their exact interval distances from one another.
chord tone A note that is in a chord.
chord quality The chord type is the quality. Major, minor, augmented, diminished, are all chord qualities.
alt chord (altered dominant) A dominant 7th chord where the ‘5’ and the ‘9’ are not natural, replaced by both the flat and sharp versions of them: b5 and #5, b9 and #9.