Chord Symbols

• Apr 2, 2025 - 04:42

It would be great if chords could be typed in and would come out like fractions. Right now most of the chords that are typed in uses a "/".
Screenshot 2025-04-02 113741.png

It saves a lot more space if it were in fraction style.
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I remember in Finale this was possible by typing in an underscore between chord letters


Comments

My recollection is that chords notated like your D_F# mean something radically different than your Cm7/Bb. Been a while since my last theory course. *shrug*

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

HAH! I knew I remembered that meaning something different. Been looking for that for months. The one notated as D _ F# is a "Polychord", sometimes called an "upper structure". Apparently, it can refer to actual polytonality (which always sounds like cacophony to me; obviously I just don't have the ear for it) but is more commonly used in jazz to refer to chords with multiple extensions and alterations. See ...

https://pianowithjonny.com/piano-lessons/what-are-polychords/
https://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chords/polycho…

In the first link, look specifically at the section headed "What is the difference between slash chords and polychords?"

In reply to by TheHutch

I understand where you are coming from. I have encountered polychords very few times before. Anyway, I really have had issues with notating chords with musescore since getting it to look like a fraction is tedious so I just make do with what is available in the current version

In reply to by ivancrysherna

No, I don't think you do understand my point. At least, it doesn't sound like it from your comment.

I'm saying that if you were to intend the "slash chord" C7/Bb (bottom to top: Bb, C, E, G) and you used the "fraction" notation, most/many/some musicians will read it ... correctly as C7 and Bb chords in a jazz "upper structure" (bottom to top: Bb, D, F, C, E, G, Bb), which I think (!!) would be a Bb13(#11) if fully specified.

In reply to by TheHutch

But that isn't the point of my suggestion. The people who will play what I am notating understand already what I want. Regardless of how musicians will read it, my point is I am hoping for a faster way to notate it the "fraction" way and not the current slash notation. Again, it's not about how musicians will read it, but how I can notate it that way since for me it saves space when in "fraction" notation.

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