Different Chords

Jam10

I just bought a chord book yesterday called Rock Method, "The Only Chord Book You Will Ever Need" and it seems like a really good book with great illustrations. My question is.......What's the difference between say a Amaj7 and an A7 or a Gmaj7 and a G7 and so on? It doesn't really explain that in the book. Are they not both major 7th chords?

Thanks

Django

Good question

Found this online

The major 7th chord is played by pressing the root (1st) + 3rd + 5th + 7th notes of a major scale. It is important to learn how to form the major scales and assign the numbers 1 to 7 (with 1 assigned to the root note) in order to learn how to play a major 7th chord easily. Here are the major 7th chords in every key:

Cmaj7 = C - E - G - B
Dmaj7 = D - F# - A - C#
Emaj7 = E - G# - B - D#
Fmaj7 = F - A - C - E
Gmaj7 = G - B - D - F#
Amaj7 = A - C# - E - G#
Bmaj7 = B - D# - F# - A#
C#maj7 = C# - E# (F) - G# - B# (C)
Dbmaj7 = Db - F - Ab - C
Ebmaj7 = Eb - G - Bb - D
F#maj7 = F# - A# - C# - E# (F)
Gbmaj7 = Gb - Bb - Db - F
Abmaj7 = Ab - C - Eb - G
Bbmaj7 = Bb - D - F - A

A minor 7th chord is formed based on the major 7th chord, by lowering the 3rd and 7th note a half step (also means to flatten the 3rd and 7th). Here are the minor 7th chords in every key:

Cm7 = C - Eb - G - Bb
Dm7 = D - F - A - C
Em7 = E - G - B - D
Fm7 = F - Ab - C - Eb
Gm7 = G - Bb - D - F
Am7 = A - C - E - G
Bm7 = B - D - F# - A
C#m7 = C# - E - G# - B
Dbm7 = Db - E - Ab - B
Ebm7 = Eb - Gb - Bb - Db
F#m7 = F# - A - C# - E
Gbm7 = Gb - A - Db - E
Abm7 = Ab - B - Eb - Gb
Bbm7 = Bb - Db - F - Ab

who's_pearljam?

A Major 7th and A7 are different chords. It's a bit confusing because if a chord is written C7 the seventh is actually a flat 7th.

The notes in the C scale are C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C. E is the third of C. G is the fifth so a C major chord is C,E,G. (C is the oneth of C )
B is the seventh note in the scale and is called the major seventh written -Cmaj7 - C,E,G,B
It's a soft jazzy chord and very nice chord to write cheesy love songs.

in a C7 chord the 7th is actually the flat 7th or B flat. - C,E,G,Bb
You'll also see it written C dom7th every once in a while, or see something written as the dominant 7th of C. The flat 7th is the dominant 7th.

There! I think I confused you a little more!

justam

who's_pearljam? wrote:

A Major 7th and A7 are different chords. It's a bit confusing because if a chord is written C7 the seventh is actually a flat 7th.

The notes in the C scale are C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C. E is the third of C. G is the fifth so a C major chord is C,E,G. (C is the oneth of C )
B is the seventh note in the scale and is called the major seventh written -Cmaj7 - C,E,G,B
It's a soft jazzy chord and very nice chord to write cheesy love songs.

in a C7 chord the 7th is actually the flat 7th or B flat. - C,E,G,Bb
You'll also see it written C dom7th every once in a while, or see something written as the dominant 7th of C. The flat 7th is the dominant 7th.

There! I think I confused you a little more!

At least you didn't say what I would have said about it being the V7 of V.

who's_pearljam?

justam wrote:

At least you didn't say what I would have said about it being the V7 of V.

I figured I'd let a professor/ concert pianist/ all around good person bring that up!

I like to get technical, too!
In doe, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, doe, the major 7th is Ti, the 7th is Ti Flat.

justam

who's_pearljam? wrote:

I figured I'd let a professor/ concert pianist/ all around good person bring that up!

I like to get technical, too!
In doe, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, doe, the major 7th is Ti, the 7th is Ti Flat.

I was just teasing you. I wouldn't have answered the thread because I know that the type of theory I learned doesn't really help guitarists.

who's_pearljam?

justam wrote:

I was just teasing you. I wouldn't have answered the thread because I know that the type of theory I learned doesn't really help guitarists.

I think guitar theory doesn't help a lot of guitarists either!

How do you get a guitarist to turn down his/her amp?




Put sheet music in front of them.

ianvomsaal

HERE, JUST PRINT THIS OUT AGAIN!
My sheet explains it all for you.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w83/ianvomsaal/ChordExplination-1.jpg

who's_pearljam? wrote:

I think guitar theory doesn't help a lot of guitarists either!
How do you get a guitarist to turn down his/her amp?
Put sheet music in front of them.

Music Theory REALLY helps if you take the time to learn it.
I can read sheet music, so I'll turn up when I have it

Jam10

ianvomsaal wrote:

HERE, JUST PRINT THIS OUT AGAIN!
My sheet explains it all for you.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w83/ianvomsaal/ChordExplination-1.jpg


Music Theory REALLY helps if you take the time to learn it.
I can read sheet music, so I'll turn up when I have it

Cool, I'll print it out as soon as my printer gets fixed. I haven't been able to print off much of your stuff because my printer keeps acting up.
Thanks Ian.

who's_pearljam?

ianvomsaal wrote:

HERE, JUST PRINT THIS OUT AGAIN!
My sheet explains it all for you.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w83/ianvomsaal/ChordExplination-1.jpg


Music Theory REALLY helps if you take the time to learn it.
I can read sheet music, so I'll turn up when I have it

Yup! It IS great to learn. I can read, too, but my neighbor's have a new baby and I can't turn it up TOO much, or they'll whack me over the head with my guitar! Until we build our studio down the street.

Learning some theory and ear training go hand in hand, I think, Jam10, or whoever reads this. Learning the chord formulas, and hearing them being played really helps the ear discern chords, which in turn helps you pull music out of your head while you're playing, writing, or picking up with a band.
You can free yourself up from sitting in front of a computer trying to read TAB.



We had a drummer who had tons of guitarist jokes because he got sick of hearing drummer jokes.
"How many lead guitarist does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" 6. one to screw it in, and 5 stand around and say, "I could have done THAT!"