Re: Triangle symbol (was What's the relation****p between scales and chords?)

"Joey Goldstein" <nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:fqfdpd$nlb$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Steve Latham wrote:
>> "Joey Goldstein" <nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
>> news:fqenp9$8iq$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>
>>> Both are used. Both are acceptable.
>>> I prefer E9#5, E9(#5), E7#5(9), or E7(#5)(9).
>>> The 9 in the last 2 would be superscripted above the #5.
>>>
>>> I'm not fond of E+7 or E+9, but I know what they mean and what to play

>>> when I see them. But it's hard to say why i don't like them.
>>> Probably because I've encountered far too many kids who get it in
their 
>>> heads somehow that "+" means major.
>>
>>
>> Joey, is it safe to say (though I understand it can be inconsistent)
that 
>> "+" *should* refer to the triad form, and that "#" is used to raise a 
>> note?
>
> + should always refer to an aug chord. But some people get it in their 
> heads that it means major or that it means #.
> To some unfortunate people E+9 might mean an E maj triad with aug 9th 
> added, or an E7#9 chord.
>
> I've seen some people use chord symbols like: C7(+9-5) too.
> Not a good idea, IMO, and in the opinions of most people I know.
>
>> E+7 tells me an E+ triad, with a 7th.  I can see how even saying "E 
>> augmented 7" might be construed as raising the 7th. But of course if
you 
>> have E7, and raise the 7th, you get EM7, so it seems that would be 
>> unlikely.
>
> But most folks know what it means.
> I just don't like seeing it.
>
>> If you use E7#9, or E7b9 it seems to make sense that you'd use E7#5, or

>> E9#5, even though 5 is lower than 7.
>
> Sadly, there is no Chord Symbols Standards Council. The chord symbols in

> common use got that way because most of us don't object to them too 
> strongly.
>
>> Is there any logic in parenthesizing? I think E9(#5) looks better, 
>> because we'd probably do E9 (no 5) or E9 (omit 5) the same way.
>
> Just for clarity.
> Usually we use superscript as much as possible so that the chord symbol 
> takes up the least amount of room on the page too. Can't really show
that 
> on usenet.
> In the front of all of Chuck Sher's fake books (New Real Book Vols 1-3)
he 
> has a little chord syllabus that shows many of the chord symbols in
common 
> use.
>
>> But it looks like basically you're trying to avoid the "+" symbol 
>> altogether (which probably isn't a bad thing - how many people also
think 
>> it means "add"?).
>
> I don't mind it for aug triads. I just don't like it on 7th chords. But
I 
> can live with it.
>

Thanks for the clarification.

Steve