Tip for chord formation

[Maestro87]

When you are typing out chord spellings, a general rule of thumb is to keep the enharmonic spellings consistent.  Try and use all flats or all sharps for a chord spelling. For instance,

[Db, F, Ab] - spells out a Db major triad

but I often see it written as

C#, F, Ab or Db, F, G# which is a terrible spelling of the chord.

Both spellings make the same sound but the enharmonic structure becomes discombobulated. Spelling out chords in this manner makes it extremely hard to track the progression of the chords.  Write all your chords for a particular song in the key signature it is written in. When the key changes, change your spellings to match the new progressions.

Just an observation that needed to be addressed.

[T-Block]

CO-SIGN, although I been saying, or trying to say this for years.

[rspindy]

This is true for all triads (three note chords).  When you enter the realm of 7th chords and extended chords, there can be a little more ambiguity.  For example, a G min-maj7 (G min triad with the Major 7 of the harmonic or melodic minor scale) would be G Bb D F# (not Gb).

One way to help get the correct enharmonic names for any chord is what I call a "chord template".

First, say we want to spell a Db 7th chord.  First the template for all chords starting with D is every other letter of the musical alphabet -- D  F  A  C  E  G  B  (D).  Since we are doing a 7th which is a four note chord, we only need to concern ourself with the first for letters -- D  F  A  C.  Thus our Db chord will have some form of a "D", some form of an "F", some form of an "A", and some form of a "C".

Now we add the appropriate accidental -- Db  F  Ab  and Cb (the lowered 7th of the Db major scale is Cb, not B natural).

For our G min-maj7 --Template:  G  B  D  F.  With the accidentals, it becomes G  Bb D  F# -- which does mix #'s and b's.

A C7 #11 -- Template C  E  G  B  D  F.  With accidentals:  C  E  G  Bb  D  F# (not Gb)  Which also mixes #'s and b's.

[rspindy]

This is true for all triads (three note chords).  When you enter the realm of 7th chords and extended chords, there can be a little more ambiguity.  For example, a G min-maj7 (G min triad with the Major 7 of the harmonic or melodic minor scale) would be G Bb D F# (not Gb).

I made a slight error above.  Augmented chords have an exception -- Bb aug.  Bb D F# (not Gb).

[T-Block]

One way to help get the correct enharmonic names for any chord is what I call a "chord template".

First, say we want to spell a Db 7th chord.  First the template for all chords starting with D is every other letter of the musical alphabet -- D  F  A  C  E  G  B  (D).  Since we are doing a 7th which is a four note chord, we only need to concern ourself with the first for letters -- D  F  A  C.  Thus our Db chord will have some form of a "D", some form of an "F", some form of an "A", and some form of a "C".

Now we add the appropriate accidental -- Db  F  Ab  and Cb (the lowered 7th of the Db major scale is Cb, not B natural).

Exactly, I been trying to tell people chords are built in 3rds.  Hopefully, this will further enlighten someone about naming chords.