Chords & improvisation

[saxy_jag]

I'm having to work out some chords for beginning improvisation and this is one area I'm not so hot on.

Is a 7 chord the same as a major 7?

I know that, for instance, G7 is GBDF. But if I have a G major 7, am I supposed to use an F#, as in the G major scale? Or am I supposed to use an F# for G7 because the piece is in the key of G major?

Also, can anyone point me to a good book or website that sets out chord theory in simple English?

[mollykins]

Have you tried ebay for the book?

[mike11111]

G7 is F
G major 7 is F sharp

[tamborine]

http://www.chordie.com/chords.php

[saxy_jag]

Thank you Mike. I'm going to be really annoying now and ask if you explain why, so that I can work out the others.

Tambo - I'm sure your link would be very useful, but I don't play guitar, I'm afraid. I have to improvise a sax melody around the band's backing chords.

Molly - not a bad idea, but what I need is a recommendation for a book that will show me all this chord stuff in dummy-ese, as it were. Getting hold of it is no problem - I work in a library.

Thanks both for looking in, though.

[tamborine]

piano chords may help

http://www.shanemcdon...ano-chord-shapes.html

[saxy_jag]

Ooh - that's great, thanks Tambo. Piano charts I can do.

[mike11111]

In a "7th" chord the 7th note is flattened, so C7 is CEGBflat. In a major 7th it is unflattened, so has the same value as it does in the key signature, so C major 7 is CEGB.

[saxy_jag]

Thanks again, Mike. I asked a saxophone friend today and he confirmed what you just said.

New mantra: 'straight 7th, 7th is flattened. Major 7th, 7th is straight'. Repeat ad infinitum. ;-)

[The Builder]

OOOh Saxy .......... sax improv ......... now you're talking my language :o)
G7 is the fifth chord in the key of Cmajor ............. called the "dominant seventh" (hence the F is natural)
Gmaj7 is the root (first) chord in the key of Gmajor. (Hence the F is sharp)

Hope I haven't confused you :o)
Google "Jamey Aebersold chords".......... lots of charts and diagrams available.