LilyPond Notation Reference: 2.7.1 Chord mode

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2.7.1 Chord mode

Chord mode is used to enter chords using an indicator of the chord structure, rather than the chord pitches.

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Chord mode overview

Chords can be entered as simultaneous music, as discussed in Chorded notes.

Chords can also be entered in “chord mode”, which is an input mode that focuses on the structures of chords in traditional European music, rather than on specific pitches. This is convenient for those who are familiar with using chord names to describe chords. More information on different input modes can be found at Input modes.

\chordmode { c1 g a g c }

Chords entered using chord mode are music elements, and can be transposed just like chords entered using simultaneous music. \chordmode is absolute, as \relative has no effect on chordmode blocks. However, in \chordmode the absolute pitches are one octave higher than in note mode.

Chord mode and note mode can be mixed in sequential music:

\relative {
  <c' e g>2 <g b d>
  \chordmode { c2 f }
  <c e g>2 <g' b d>
  \chordmode { f2 g }
}

Known issues and warnings

Predefined shorthands for articulations and ornaments cannot be used on notes in chord mode, see Articulations and ornamentations.

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Common chords

Major triads are entered by including the root and an optional duration:

\chordmode { c2 f4 g }

Minor, augmented, and diminished triads are entered by placing : and a quality modifier string after the duration:

\chordmode { c2:m f4:aug g:dim }

Seventh chords can be created:

\chordmode { c1:7 c:m7 c:maj7 c:dim7 c:aug7 }

The table below shows the actions of the quality modifiers on triads and seventh chords. The default seventh step added to chords is a minor or flatted seventh, which makes the dominant seventh the basic seventh chord. All alterations are relative to the dominant seventh. A more complete table of modifier usage is found at Common chord modifiers.

Modifier	Action	Example
None	The default action; produces a major triad.
m, m7	The minor chord. This modifier lowers the 3rd.
dim, dim7	The diminished chord. This modifier lowers the 3rd, 5th and (if present) the 7th step.
aug	The augmented chord. This modifier raises the 5th step.
maj, maj7	The major 7th chord. This modifier adds a raised 7th step. The `7` following `maj` is optional. Do NOT use this modifier to create a major triad.

Known issues and warnings

Only one quality modifier should be used per chord, typically on the highest step present in the chord. Chords with more than quality modifier will be parsed without an error or warning, but the results are unpredictable. Chords that cannot be achieved with a single quality modifier should be altered by individual pitches, as described in Extended and altered chords.

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Extended and altered chords

Chord structures of arbitrary complexity can be created in chord mode. The modifier string can be used to extend a chord, add or remove chord steps, raise or lower chord steps, and add a bass note or create an inversion.

The first number following the : is taken to be the extent of the chord. The chord is constructed by sequentially adding thirds to the root until the specified number has been reached. Note that the seventh step added as part of an extended chord will be the minor or flatted seventh, not the major seventh. If the extent is not a third (e.g., 6), thirds are added up to the highest third below the extent, and then the step of the extent is added. The largest possible value for the extent is 13. Any larger value is interpreted as 13.

\chordmode {
  c1:2 c:3 c:4 c:5
  c1:6 c:7 c:8 c:9
  c1:10 c:11 c:12 c:13
  c1:14
}

As a special exception, c:5 produces a ‘power chord’ only consisting of root and fifth.

Since an unaltered 11 does not sound good when combined with an unaltered 13, the 11 is removed from a :13 chord (unless it is added explicitly).

\chordmode {
  c1:13 c:13.11 c:m13
}

Individual steps can be added to a chord. Additions follow the extent and are prefixed by a dot (.). The basic seventh step added to a chord is the minor or flatted seventh, rather than the major seventh.

\chordmode {
  c1:3.5.6 c:3.7.8 c:3.6.13
}

Added steps can be as high as desired.

\chordmode {
  c4:3.5.15 c:3.5.20 c:3.5.25 c:3.5.30
}

Added chord steps can be altered by suffixing a - or + sign to the number. To alter a step that is automatically included as part of the basic chord structure, add it as an altered step.

\chordmode {
  c1:7+ c:5+.3- c:3-.5-.7-
}

Following any steps to be added, a series of steps to be removed is introduced in a modifier string with a prefix of ^. If more than one step is to be removed, the steps to be removed are separated by . following the initial ^.

\chordmode {
  c1^3 c:7^5 c:9^3 c:9^3.5 c:13.11^3.7
}

The modifier sus can be added to the modifier string to create suspended chords. This removes the 3rd step from the chord. Append either 2 or 4 to add the 2nd or 4th step to the chord. When sus is followed by either a 2nd or 4th step, it is equivalent to ^3, otherwise to sus4, namely 5.4.

\chordmode {
  c1:sus c:sus2 c:sus4 c:5.4
}

Added bass notes (putting a pitch other than the root on the bottom of the chord) can be specified by appending /pitch to the chord.

\chordmode {
  c'1 c'/e c'/f
}

If the added pitch is already part of the chord, this may be used to print chord inversions, in which case the pitch is not added but merely moved to the bottom of the chord. It may however be treated as an added note (and thus printed twice), by using the syntax /+pitch.

\chordmode {
  c'1 c'/g c'/+e
}

Automatic chord inversions and voicings are demonstrated in Chord inversions and specific voicings.

Chord modifiers that can be used to produce a variety of standard chords are shown in Common chord modifiers.

Known issues and warnings

Each step can only be present in a chord once. The following simply produces the augmented chord, since 5+ is interpreted last.

\chordmode { c1:3.5.5-.5+ }

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Chord inversions and specific voicings

In addition to chord modifiers and added bass notes, various functions may be used to automatically print chords in a specific inversion or voicing – for example the so-called ‘drop 2’ voicing commonly used in jazz music.

\chordmode {
  \dropNote 2 {
    c2:maj7 d:m7
  }
  \invertChords 1 d1:maj7
}

Unlike added bass notes shown in Extended and altered chords this only affects the way chords are printed on a staff, and not chord names written with letters. Furthermore, these functions may be used not only in chord mode but also with <...> chords constructs explained in Chorded notes.

2.7.1 Chord mode

Chord mode overview

See also

Known issues and warnings

Common chords

See also

Known issues and warnings

Extended and altered chords

See also

Known issues and warnings

Chord inversions and specific voicings

See also

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