Chord symbols popover

The following tables contain examples of what you can enter into the chord symbols popover to input the different possible chord symbol components. You can enter them in any combination.

You can open the chord symbols popover in Write mode in any of the following ways when either an item is selected or the caret is active:

  • Press Shift-Q.

  • Select an existing chord symbol and press Return.

  • Choose Write > Create Chord Symbol.

  • Click Chord Symbols in the Notations toolbox.

The icon on the left-hand side of the popover matches the corresponding button in the Notations toolbox on the right of the window.

Figure: Chord symbols popover with an example entry

Figure: Chord Symbols button in the Notations toolbox

Note

You can combine multiple types of entries to create more complex chord symbols if you enter them one after another into the chord symbols popover without spaces between them. For example, enter Eblocrian for the following chord symbol:


Table 1. Chord symbol roots

Type of chord symbol root

Popover entry

English note names

C, D, F, B, and so on

C, Db, F#, B, and so on

German note names

C, D, F, H, and so on

C, Des, Fis, H, and so on

Fixed-do solfège

C, D, F, F, B, and so on

do, reb, so, so#, ti, and so on

Nashville numbers representing scale degrees

Assuming C major:

C, D, F, B, and so on

1, 2b, 4#, 7, and so on



Table 2. Chord symbol qualities

Chord symbol quality

Popover entry

Major

maj, M, ma, or nothing after entering the root.

Minor

m, min, or mi

Diminished

dim, di, or o

Augmented

aug, au, ag, or +

Half-diminished

half-dim, halfdim, or hd

6/9

6/9, 69, or %



Table 3. Chord symbol intervals

Interval

Popover entry

Major 7th

^7 or ^

Major 9th

^9, maj9, or 9maj7



Table 4. Chord symbol alterations

Type of chord symbol alteration

Popover entry

Alterations

b5, #9, and so on

Added notes

add#11, addF#, addBb, and so on

Suspensions

sus4, sus9, and so on

Omissions

omit3, no7, and so on



Table 5. Chord symbols with altered bass notes

Example altered bass note chord symbols

Popover entry

G7/D

G7,D or Gmaj7,D

C(5)/E

CMb5/Eb or Cmajb5/Eb

Fm/D

Fm/D# or Fmi/D#



Table 6. Polychord chord symbols

Example polychord chord symbols

Popover entry

G/E

G;E or Gmaj;E

Cmaj7/D

CM7|D or Cmaj7|D

Fm/D

Fm|D# Fmi|D#



Table 7. No chord symbols

No chord symbol

Popover entry

No chord

N.C., NC, no chord, or none



Table 8. Modal chord symbols

Modal chord symbol

Popover entry

Ionian

ionian

Dorian

dorian

Phrygian

phrygian

Lydian

lydian

Mixolydian

mixolydian

Aeolian

aeolian

Locrian

locrian

Melodic minor

melodicminor

Harmonic minor

harmonicminor

Whole tone

wholetone

Octatonic or diminished half-whole

diminishedhalfwhole, diminishedsemitonetone, octatonichalfwhole, or octatonicsemitonetone

Octatonic or diminished whole-half

diminishedwholehalf, diminishedtonesemitone, octatonicwholehalf, or octatonictonesemitone


This list is not comprehensive, as there are many possible chord symbols. It is intended to illustrate the different components you can use to input different chord symbols.

Note

The appearance of the resulting chord symbols depends on the options you have set on the Chord Symbols page in Engrave > Engraving Options. The structure of your entry in the chord symbols popover is not considered. For example, entering a C major chord as C, Cmaj, or CM results in the same chord symbol.