Pardon my ignorance, but what does it mean when there are two flats (bb) in front of a note? It's all over the place in Rufus Reid's book (usually on diminished chords) so I want to make sure I am playing the right notes. It's not in the legend. Does that mean the flat of a flat - a whole step down? I don't think so, since for example in a Cdim7, he marks a B with this double flat, however I believe in Cdim7 it's a Bb, straight up (a dim 7 is a flat 5,3, and 7, right??). So could someone explain this notation to me? I thought I was seeing double...

Is he telling me to play with poor intonation? ;-)

thanks,

Lawrence

A double flat is an oboe and a bassoon playing in unison.

b = 1/2 step lower
bb = two 1/2 steps lower = one whole step lower.
Bbb sounds like A

ok - then I guess my idea of a diminished 7 is wrong. The 3,5, AND the dominant 7 are all flatted then. Is that right?

dim 7th on C = C, Eb, Gb, Bbb

What you're describing C, Eb, Gb, Bb is called a half diminished by some. I've also heard it called Cm7 b5.

Originally posted by lermgalieu
ok - then I guess my idea of a diminished 7 is wrong. The 3,5, AND the dominant 7 are all flatted then. Is that right?

Right. half diminished 7th chords are also known as min7b5, but fully diminished 7th chords are just a stack of minor 3rds. i.e. - C, Eb, Gb, Bbb (A), ....or C#, E, G, Bb. Because they're symmetrical, there are only really three different fully diminished 7th chords...everything else is an inversion of one of the three.

Got it. Is there any other notation besides min7b5 to mark a half diminished?

Originally posted by lemonjello
Got it. Is there any other notation besides min7b5 to mark a half diminished?

Yes: a circle with a slash through it. There's actually a name for that symbol, but I can't think what it is.