Re: error in predefined chord diagram?

[Tim McNamara]

On Jan 29, 2011, at 1:02 PM, bart deruyter wrote:

> I've noticed something strange in the predefined chord diagrams for guitar. 
> While writing on my book for teaching guitar, I noticed the chord C# 
> diminished is weird to say at the least. The fret diagram is very wrong I'm 
> afraid :
> http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.13/Documentation/notation/predefined-fretboard-diagrams
> To be more precise, it shows the use of the third fret on the g-string. Last 
> time I checked, this is A# or Bb. What does this do in C# diminished? Or am I 
> so very mistaken?

Well, that is the diminished 7th in a C# dim 7:  root b3 b5 bb7 which works out 
to C# E G Bb.  So having it there is technically correct if you are specifying 
a dim7 chord.  If that's not the chord you want (e.g., you want a diminished 
triad of C# E G) then you don't want it.

In jazz fingerings for dim chords the bb7 is generally included as a matter of 
course.  Other styles of music may not do the same.

You might try calling it a C# min b5 chord to get the notes you want.