Chord Names and Symbols (popular Music) - Chord Quality

Chord Quality

Chord qualities are related with the qualities of the component intervals which define the chord (see below). The main chord qualities are:

• Major, and minor.
• Augmented, diminished, and half-diminished.
• Dominant.

Some of the symbols used for chord quality are similar to those used for interval quality:

• m, or min for minor,
• M, maj, or no symbol (see rule 2 below) for major,
• aug for augmented,
• dim for diminished.

In addition, however,

• Δ is sometimes used for major, instead of the standard M, or maj,
• − is sometimes used for minor, instead of the standard m or min,
• +, or aug, is used for augmented (A is not used),
• o, °, dim, is used for diminished (d is not used),
• ø, or Ø is used for half diminished,
• dom is used for dominant.

Chord qualities are sometimes omitted (see below). When specified, they appear immediately after the root note or, if the root is omitted, at the beginning of the chord name or symbol. For instance, in the symbol Cm7 (C minor seventh chord) C is the root and m is the chord quality. When the terms minor, major, augmented, diminished, or the corresponding symbols do not appear immediately after the root note, or at the beginning of the name or symbol, they should be considered interval qualities, rather than chord qualities. For instance, in Cm/M7 (minor major seventh chord), m is the chord quality and M refers to the M7 interval.