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.

  • In the Notations toolbox, click Popovers Popovers button, then Chord Symbols Chord Symbols button.

  • Select an existing chord symbol and press Return.

  • Choose Write > Create Chord Symbol.

When inputting global chord symbols, the icon on the left-hand side of the popover matches the corresponding button in the Notations toolbox. When inputting local chord symbols, the icon on the left-hand side of the popover appears smaller and includes the icon for a single player.

Figure 1. Chord symbols popover with an example entry for a global chord symbol
Figure 2. Chord symbols popover with an example entry for a local chord symbol
Figure 3. 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:

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, fa, fa#, 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

Tip

When using a MIDI keyboard, you can also indicate root notes in any of the following ways:

  • First play the root with one finger, and then play the remaining notes of the chord while still holding down the root.

  • Play all the notes of the chord together, then release them all, then replay the root note.

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 %

Note

M and m entries for major and minor are case-sensitive.

Chord symbol intervals

Interval

Popover entry

Major 7th

^7 or ^

Major 9th

^9, maj9, or 9maj7

Chord symbol alterations

Type of chord symbol alteration

Popover entry

Alterations

b5, -5, #9, +9, b10, and so on

Added notes

add#11, add+11, addb9, add-9, addF#, addBb, and so on

Suspensions

sus4, sus9, and so on

Omissions

omit3, no7, and so on

Chord symbols with altered bass notes

Example altered bass note chord symbols

Popover entry

G7/D

G7/D, G7,D, Gmaj7/D or Gmaj7,D

C(5)/E

CMb5/Eb, CMb5,Eb, Cmajb5/Eb, or Cmajb5,Eb

Fm/D

Fm/D#, Fm,D#, Fmi/D#, or Fmi,D#

Tip

When using a MIDI keyboard, you can also indicate altered bass notes in any of the following ways:

  • Play all notes of the chord together with the altered bass note at the bottom.

  • Play the chord and its altered bass note separately: Hold down the keys for the chord, then play the altered bass note while keeping the rest of the keys of the chord depressed.

Polychord chord symbols

Example polychord chord symbols

Popover entry

G/E

G|E, G;E, Gmaj|E, or Gmaj;E

Cmaj7/D

CM7|D, CM7;D, Cmaj7|D, or Cmaj7;D

Fm/D

Fm|D#, Fm;D#, Fmi|D#, or Fmi;D#

Tip

When using a MIDI keyboard, you can also input polychord symbols by playing the first chord and keeping the keys depressed, then playing the second chord.

No chord symbols

No chord symbol

Popover entry

No chord

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

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

Half-whole diminished or octatonic

diminishedhalfwhole, diminishedsemitonetone, octatonichalfwhole, or octatonicsemitonetone

Whole-half diminished or octatonic

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 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.

Parenthesized chord symbols

Example parenthesized chord symbol

Popover entry

(Cmaj7)

(Cmaj7)

Chord symbol regions

Chord symbol region

Popover entry

New chord symbol region

reg