How to Read Chord Symbols: A Plain-English Guide
You open a chart and see
Cmaj7 – A7(♭9) – Dm9 – G13sus. If that line makes your stomach drop a little, this guide is for you. Chord symbols look like a secret code, but they follow a small set of rules. Once you know the rules, you can read almost any chord on a lead sheet in a second or two.
We'll go in the same order your eyes should: root → quality → seventh → extras → bass note.
1. The root: the big letter
Every chord symbol starts with a capital letter from A to G. That letter is the root — the note the chord is built on and usually the note the bass plays. A sharp (♯) or flat (♭) right after the letter belongs to the root: B♭, F♯, E♭.
If you only have time to read one thing while sight-reading, read the root. It tells you where the harmony is.
2. The quality: major, minor, and friends
What comes right after the root tells you the basic color of the chord. Here are the triads (three-note chords) using C as the root:
| You see | It means | Notes (on C) |
|---|---|---|
| C | Major (a letter by itself = major) | C – E – G |
| Cm, C−, Cmin | Minor | C – E♭ – G |
| C°, Cdim | Diminished | C – E♭ – G♭ |
| C+, Caug | Augmented | C – E – G♯ |
| Csus4 | Suspended 4th (no 3rd) | C – F – G |
| Csus2 | Suspended 2nd (no 3rd) | C – D – G |
| C5 | "Power chord" (no 3rd) | C – G |
A tip that saves a lot of mistakes: a lowercase m or a minus sign − means minor. A capital M or "maj" means major. They look similar on a messy handwritten chart, so slow down on these two.
3. The seventh: where most confusion happens
The number 7 is the one that trips people up, because "C7" does not mean "C major seventh."
| You see | Name | Notes (on C) |
|---|---|---|
| Cmaj7, CM7, CΔ7, CΔ | Major seventh | C – E – G – B |
| C7 | Dominant seventh | C – E – G – B♭ |
| Cm7, C−7, Cmin7 | Minor seventh | C – E♭ – G – B♭ |
| Cm7♭5, Cø, Cø7 | Half-diminished | C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ |
| C°7, Cdim7 | Diminished seventh | C – E♭ – G♭ – B𝄫 (sounds like A) |
| Cm(maj7), C−Δ7 | Minor-major seventh | C – E♭ – G – B |
| C7sus4 | Dominant seventh, suspended | C – F – G – B♭ |
Here's the rule to remember: a plain "7" always means the flat seventh. You only get the natural seventh (B on a C chord) when the symbol says maj, M or Δ.
Sixth chords
C6 is C – E – G – A. Cm6 is C – E♭ – G – A. C6/9 adds a D on top of C6: C – E – G – A – D. The 6 is a common, softer alternative to a major seventh in older songs and bossa nova.
4. Extensions: 9, 11 and 13
Numbers above 7 stack more notes on top. The important thing to know: the extension also tells you which seventh is there.
- C9 = C7 + D → C – E – G – B♭ – D
- Cmaj9 = Cmaj7 + D → C – E – G – B – D
- Cm9 = Cm7 + D → C – E♭ – G – B♭ – D
- C11 = in practice usually played as a C7sus4 sound with a 9 (the 3rd is left out because it clashes with the 11th)
- C13 = a dominant chord with A on top; players normally leave out the 11th
Compare that with Cadd9: C – E – G – D. "Add" means "just add this note, no seventh." So Cadd9 and C9 are different chords, even though both have a D.
Altered notes in brackets
Symbols like C7(♭9), C7♯9, C7♯11 or C7♭13 tell you to change one specific note of a dominant chord. For example, C7♭9 is C – E – G – B♭ – D♭. C7alt is a shortcut that means "a dominant chord with altered 5ths and 9ths — pick the tensions you like." You'll see it a lot in jazz.
5. The bass note: slash chords
A slash means "this chord, over this bass note." C/E is a C chord with E as the lowest note. D/F♯ is a D chord with F♯ in the bass. The part before the slash is the chord; the part after is only the bass.
Slash chords are usually there to make a smooth bass line, like C – C/B – Am – Am/G. If you play a horn or sing, you can mostly read the part before the slash. If you play bass, the part after the slash is your note.
6. A 3-second way to read any symbol
- Root — which letter?
- Major or minor? — look for m, −, maj, Δ
- Which seventh? — plain 7 = flat seventh; maj/Δ = natural seventh
- Extras — 9, 11, 13, sus, add, altered notes
- Slash? — then the bass note
When you're sight-reading fast, steps 1–3 are enough to sound right. The 3rd and the 7th of a chord define its sound much more than the extensions do.
7. Two traps on real charts
"C2" is ambiguous. In pop and worship charts it usually means Cadd9 or Csus2. If it matters, ask the person who wrote the chart.
Transposed parts. If your part is for a B♭ or E♭ instrument, check whether the chord symbols are written for your instrument or in concert pitch. Big band and horn parts are usually transposed to match your written notes; some lead sheets keep the chords in concert pitch. Reading the wrong set is the fastest way to clash with the whole band.
Quick reference card
| Symbol | Say it as |
|---|---|
| C | C major |
| Cm / C− | C minor |
| Cmaj7 / CΔ7 | C major seven |
| C7 | C seven (dominant) |
| Cm7 / C−7 | C minor seven |
| Cø / Cm7♭5 | C half-diminished |
| C°7 | C diminished seven |
| C7sus4 | C seven sus |
| Cadd9 | C add nine |
| C/E | C over E |
Save this page and keep it open the next time you learn a new tune. After a few charts, you won't need it anymore.
Writing your own charts on an iPad? Band Session Note lets you pick chord symbols from a menu — root, quality, tensions and slash bass — and view the whole chart in C, B♭ or E♭ with one tap.
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