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New Released in April 2026

Chord Symbols: How to Read Them (with Chart)

Chord symbols are the shorthand above the music that tells you which chord to play: a letter for the root, then letters, numbers and signs for the type. Cm7 means C minor 7th, Cø7 means C half-diminished, CΔ7 means C major 7th. Learn to read them at a glance, then play them on your piano, MIDI keyboard or guitar.

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ChordRunner running on a phone next to an acoustic guitar, above a piano being played

How to read a chord symbol

Every chord symbol is built from up to four parts, always in this order.

1. The root

A capital letter, with # or b if needed: C, F#, Bb. It is the note the chord is built on.

2. The quality

Nothing means major. m (or min, −) means minor, dim or ° diminished, aug or + augmented.

3. The extensions

Numbers add notes: 7, 9, 11, 13. maj7 (or Δ) means the major 7th; a plain 7 means the minor 7th.

4. The bass

A slash names the lowest note: C/E is C major with E in the bass, the 1st inversion.

Chord symbols chart

Every common chord type with C as the root, the other ways it is written and its notes.

Symbol	Also written	Chord	Notes
C	CM, Cmaj	C major	C E G
Cm	Cmin, C-	C minor	C Eb G
Cdim	C°, Cmin(b5)	C diminished	C Eb Gb
Caug	C+, C(#5)	C augmented	C E G#
Csus2	C2	C suspended 2nd	C D G
Csus4	Csus	C suspended 4th	C F G
C6	C(add6)	C major 6th	C E G A
C7	Cdom7	C dominant 7th	C E G Bb
Cmaj7	CΔ7, CM7, CΔ	C major 7th	C E G B
Cm7	Cmin7, C-7	C minor 7th	C Eb G Bb
Cm7b5	Cø7, Cø, C-7(b5)	C half-diminished 7th	C Eb Gb Bb
Cdim7	C°7	C diminished 7th	C Eb Gb Bbb
CmMaj7	Cm(maj7), C-Δ7	C minor-major 7th	C Eb G B
C9	C7(9)	C dominant 9th	C E G Bb D
Cmaj9	CΔ9, CM9	C major 9th	C E G B D
Cm9	C-9, Cmin9	C minor 9th	C Eb G Bb D
C13	C7(13)	C dominant 13th	C E G Bb D F A

The same symbol works on any root: Am7 is A C E G, G7 is G B D F. See every chord in all 12 keys in the piano chord chart.

The symbols people mix up

C7 vs Cmaj7: C7 has Bb, Cmaj7 has B, one key higher. A plain 7 always means the lower one, Bb.
Cm7 vs Cm(maj7): both are minor; only the 7th changes, Bb or B.
Cø7 vs C°7: both start C Eb Gb. Cø7 adds Bb; C°7 goes one key lower, to the white key A (written Bbb).
Csus4 vs Cadd4: sus replaces the third with the 4th; add keeps the third.
C6 vs Am7: same four notes, C A E G; the bass decides the name.

ChordRunner on a laptop, a tablet and a phone, each showing a Cm7 chord symbol above a piano

Read chord symbols faster by playing them

ChordRunner shows real chord symbols, the way lead sheets write them, and you answer by playing.

From triads to 13ths

Levels start with major and minor and add sus, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th chords as you improve.

Any voicing counts

Root position or inversion: if the notes match the symbol, it counts.

MIDI keyboard or microphone

A USB MIDI keyboard is detected automatically; a piano or guitar works through the microphone.

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Common questions

What does m7 mean in a chord symbol?

m7 means minor 7th: a minor chord with one more note on top. Cm7 is C Eb G Bb, Am7 is A C E G. The small m says minor; the 7 adds that extra note.

What is the symbol for a half-diminished chord?

A circle with a slash, ø, as in Cø7, or the longer form Cm7b5. Both mean C Eb Gb Bb: a diminished chord with a minor 7th on top.

What is the difference between C7 and Cmaj7?

One note. C7 has Bb, Cmaj7 has B, one key higher. A plain 7 always means the lower seventh; maj7 or the triangle Δ means the higher one.

How do I get faster at reading chord symbols?

Read them while playing. In ChordRunner a chord symbol appears and you play it on a USB MIDI keyboard or into the microphone, so reading turns into a reflex.

Your instrument is the controller.

ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

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