I'm going to write down chord charts of some songs a guitar player and I wrote. There's a chord which goes like this (TAbZ):

e|-1- (5)
B|-1- (9)
G|-2- (7)
D|-2- (b5 / #4?)
A|-1- (R)
E|---

...and it sounds really cool in the song, but my knowledge in music theory is severely lacking so I have no idea what to write on the chart?

I'd call it a maj7(#11), voiced without the 3rd. But I'm sure there are other ways to look at it....

Thanks, Blinky! I thought you might reply to this. :)

Maj7(#11) it is. When I think of it, I invoke the major 3rd to Bb (D) in my bass line, which would make it a Bbmaj7(#11) then, and not some minmaj or no3 chord... am I right?

It's not that important, but it might need a correct name if we were to audition a keyboard player.

Well, you don't have to play the third. What I would do is try the major third against the chord and make sure that you're still getting the sound you want.... if that's the case, you're playing the maj7(#11) chord, just chosing to voice it without the 3rd.

If the 3rd doesn't clash, the keyboardist can chose to play it or not.

This is a longshot, but you could call it Fmaj7/Bb.. The four upper notes form a Fmaj7 - voiced a little odd, but still. If i was writing the chart, I would try to see what function the chord has in the tune, and describe it in the way that makes more sense, in the key, and so on.

And to all the people with degrees in this kind of stuff - please don't kill me. ;)

Originally posted by hujo
If i was writing the chart, I would try to see what function the chord has in the tune, and describe it in the way that makes more sense, in the key, and so on. I don't know how to describe the function of it, or pick a proper key signature. See, the entire chord sequence is this:

Dm9 | Dm9 | C#7(#9) | C#7(#9) | C7(#9) | C7(#9) | Bb | Bbm
Am | Am | xxx | xxx | C#m | C#m | C | C | Bsus4 | Bsus4 | B | B

...where xxx is the chord I'm asking about. I *think* the other chords have their proper names.

It's a stick in an instrumental tune which otherwise goes in the key of A minor. But even I can see that the above sequence isn't all in A minor...

Just my .02-
The 'low' note(in this case, a Bb)doesn't have to be the ROOT, right?
Thinking like a pianist, just suppose those notes(Bb-E-A-C-F)were being played by the right hand...now, what note(s) can the left hand play to achive the sound you're desiring?
(I doubt a pianist would use all those notes).

Personally, if the guitarist omitted the Bb note & allowed the bassist to play it...?