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:
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Press Shift-Q.
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In the Notations toolbox, click Popovers
, then Chord Symbols
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Select an existing chord symbol and press Return.
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Choose .
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.
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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
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Type of chord symbol root |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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English note names C, D♭, F♯, B, and so on |
C, Db, F#, B, and so on |
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German note names C, D♭, F♯, H, and so on |
C, Des, Fis, H, and so on |
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Fixed-do solfège C, D♭, F, F♯, B, and so on |
do, reb, fa, fa#, ti, and so on |
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Nashville numbers representing scale degrees Assuming C major: C, D♭, F♯, B, and so on |
1, 2b, 4#, 7, and so on |
When using a MIDI keyboard, you can also indicate root notes in any of the following ways:
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First play the root with one finger, and then play the remaining notes of the chord while still holding down the root.
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Play all the notes of the chord together, then release them all, then replay the root note.
Chord symbol accidentals
|
Type of accidental |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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Sharp |
# |
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Flat |
b |
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Double sharp |
x or ## |
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Triple sharp |
x#, #x, or ### |
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Double flat |
bb |
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Triple flat |
bbb |
Chord symbol qualities
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Chord symbol quality |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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Major |
maj, M, ma, or nothing after entering the root. |
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Minor |
m, min, or mi |
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Diminished |
dim, di, or o |
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Augmented |
aug, au, ag, or + |
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Half-diminished |
half-dim, halfdim, or hd |
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6/9 |
6/9, 69, or % |
M and m entries for major and minor are case-sensitive.
Chord symbol intervals
|
Interval |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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Scale degrees |
1, 2, 3, and so on |
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Major 7th |
^7 or ^ |
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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 |
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Added notes |
add#11, add+11, addb9, add-9, addF#, addBb, and so on |
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Suspensions |
sus4, sus9, and so on |
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Omissions |
omit3, no7, and so on |
Chord symbols with altered bass notes
|
Example altered bass note chord symbols |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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G7/D |
G7/D, G7,D, Gmaj7/D or Gmaj7,D |
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C(♭5)/E♭ |
CMb5/Eb, CMb5,Eb, Cmajb5/Eb, or Cmajb5,Eb |
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Fm/D♯ |
Fm/D#, Fm,D#, Fmi/D#, or Fmi,D# |
When using a MIDI keyboard, you can also indicate altered bass notes in any of the following ways:
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Play all notes of the chord together with the altered bass note at the bottom.
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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 |
|---|---|
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G/E |
G|E, G;E, Gmaj|E, or Gmaj;E |
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Cmaj7/D |
CM7|D, CM7;D, Cmaj7|D, or Cmaj7;D |
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Fm/D♯ |
Fm|D#, Fm;D#, Fmi|D#, or Fmi;D# |
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 |
|---|---|
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No chord |
N.C., NC, no chord, or none |
Modal chord symbols
|
Modal chord symbol |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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Ionian |
ionian |
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Dorian |
dorian |
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Phrygian |
phrygian |
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Lydian |
lydian |
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Mixolydian |
mixolydian |
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Aeolian |
aeolian |
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Locrian |
locrian |
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Melodic minor |
melodicminor |
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Harmonic minor |
harmonicminor |
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Whole tone |
wholetone |
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Half-whole diminished or octatonic |
diminishedhalfwhole, diminishedsemitonetone, octatonichalfwhole, or octatonicsemitonetone |
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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.
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
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Example parenthesized chord symbol |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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(Cmaj7) |
(Cmaj7) |
Chord symbol regions
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Chord symbol region |
Popover entry |
|---|---|
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New chord symbol region |
reg |