Jazz Chord Symbols Explained
Jazz chord symbols can look complicated—but in reality, almost every chord boils down to just 6 core chord types.
Once you understand these core 7th chord types, playing jazz songs becomes much easier.
The 6 Core Types of Jazz Chord
Most jazz chords are built from one of six core 7th-chord types.
Chord extensions can then be added—9ths, 11ths, and 13ths—but underneath, there is usually a simpler 7th chord.
Here are the six core types:
- C major 7 (C E G B), can be written as ‘CΔ’, 'C maj 7’, ‘C ma 7’.
- C minor 7 (C Eb G Bb), can be written as ‘C-7’, ’Cm7’, ’C min 7’, ‘C mi 7’.
- C dominant 7 (C E G Bb), written as ‘C7’.
- C half-diminished (C Eb Gb Bb), written as ‘Cø’, ‘C min 7 b5’, ‘C-7b5’.
- C diminished 7 (C Eb Gb A), written as ‘Cº7’
- C minor-major 7 (C Eb G B), written as ‘C min Δ’, ‘C-Δ’.
6th Chords
In addition to these 7th chords, 6th chords are sometimes used in place of a 7th chord.
There are just two types of 6th chord that exist - major 6 chords and minor 6 chords:
In each of these chords, the 6th is played instead of the 7th (not in addition to the 7th).
6th chords function the same way as 7th chords, but they have a softer sound. In fact, you can ‘reharmonize’ any song and play a 6th chord instead of the 7th chord that’s written. Only do this to a major 7 or minor 7 chord when it's the I chord.
Chord Extensions Explained
‘Chord extensions’ are the 9th, 11th and 13th - known as the 'extended harmony'. These notes can be added to any of the 6 chord types we’ve looked at.
You can add one, two, or all three chord extensions to any chord - whether or not it's written in the lead sheet's chord symbol.
In fact, most of the chords in a lead sheet are written as 7th chords - without adding '9' '11' or '13'.
This makes it easy for the player to read chords at speed – and gives you the freedom to add chord extensions based on your own taste.
How do you figure out what the extended harmony notes are?
To find the 9th, 11th, or 13th - just imagine a major scale running up from the chord’s root note.
So for a C7 chord, you’d walk up the notes of C major scale to find each extended note:
- The 2nd of the scale is also the 9th = D.
- The 4th of the scale is also the 11th = F.
- The 6th of the scale is also the 13th = A.
The chord extensions are always built from the major scale - regardless of which type of chord it is - even for minor 7 chords, V7 chords, and so on.
Altered Chord Extensions
Sometimes you'll want to play 'altered chord extensions' - which means the 9th, 11th or 13th has been sharpened or flattened (e.g. 'C7b9', 'C7#11', 'C7b13').
If you need to play an altered chord extension, just find the natural chord extension first (by running up the major scale), and then flatten it or sharpen it:
Altered extensions are most common over V7 chords. So over C7 you can expect the four altered extensions shown above (flat 9, sharp 9, sharp 11, flat 13).
I've notated every type of Jazz chord on one page. You can download it here:
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Chord symbols tell you which chord to play; voicings determine how that chord is arranged across the piano. See my Jazz Piano Chord Voicings Guide for a complete explanation.
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