Jazz/Pop Analysis

Jazz/pop symbols can be used to identify any triad or seventh chord. With jazz/pop symbols we will know the chord root, quality and bass note.

Jazz/Pop symbols

Jazz/Pop symbols have been covered in other units, but some of main chord symbols are shown below.

Triads are indicated as follows:

To indicate inversions, add a slash and the name of the note in the bass.

For example, a c minor chord in first inversion

would be indicated as:

Common seventh chords are indicated as follows:

Use of Jazz/Pop Symbols

Jazz/pop symbols are useful when you can identify the root and quality of a chord but not its function.

For example. look at measures 103-109 of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 21 Op 53 (Waldstein). We start this section in F minor. If we analyze with roman numerals it is hard to see what is going on.

However, marking the chords with jazz/pop symbols reveals what is really happening. Look at measures 21-25 below again. Chords are arranged in a descending 5^th root progression (see red arrows).

In addition, the bass line through this section is also descending by step – starting on F3 in measure 104 and ending on F2 in measure 110.

Sometimes jazz/pop symbols will show aspects of the analysis in a way that s easier to see than other types of analysis, such as roman numeral analysis.