# Chord Notation

When ChordPress reads your ChordPro text, it assumes that whatever you write in between square brackets, `[` and `]`, is a **chord** or a **chord reference**. ChordPress does not accept everything though as a chord notation.

## Chord

Chords are specified by the letter of its base note plus optional additions describing the chord variation. For example, `[C]` refers to the C-major chord , `[Am7]` refers to the minor seventh A chord. If yo use this “real” chord notation, ChordPress will try to interprete the chord and prepare its transposition for the interactive mode you can chose for the `[chordpress]` shortcode. Valid base notes (the first character after the opening bracket) are: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H. (“H” is used in Germany and some other European countries instead of “B”. Read more about it here: [The Note “H”](https://sayandsound.lewe.com/note-h/).)

## Chord Reference

In Bluegrass or Nashville notation, chords are not specified by its base tone but by its interval towards the key the song is played in.

Bluegrass uses Roman numerals, Nashville uses numbers to reference the chords. All you need to know is what key the song is played in.

| Bluegrass Notation | Nashville Notation | Description                                      | Real chord when played in key of C |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------- |
| I                  | 1                  | Major chord of the key note                      | C                                  |
| II                 | 2                  | Major chord of the major second of the key note  | D                                  |
| III                | 3                  | Major chord of the major third of the key note   | E                                  |
| IV                 | 4                  | Major chord of the major fourth of the key note  | F                                  |
| V                  | 5                  | Major chord of the major fifth of the key note   | G                                  |
| VI                 | 6                  | Major chord of the major sixth of the key note   | A                                  |
| VII                | 7                  | Major chord of the major seventh of the key note | B                                  |

For the Bluegrass notation, you can use small letters to represent the minor chord, e.g. `[iii]` or add a “7” to specify the seventh chord, e.g. `[V7]`.

ChordPress accepts these chord references: I, I7, II, III, iii, IV, V, V7, VI, vi, VII, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Note, that these chord references cannot be transposed.


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