Avatars, yes, as I pointed out, there are some notes that appear to be missing in some of those chords, and perhaps Alan can explain the method he was using to spell those chords.

About your last point, the last chord (what you called the fifth, which is the sixth?) with that Ab:

When you have two notes that sound the same, like G# and Ab, they are called enharmonic equivalents.

In this spelling, C, Eb, Ab, Bb, technically the #5 Alan refers to is indeed a G#, not an Ab. However, it would drive me crazy to read a chord notated C, Eb, G#, Bb. When writing sheet music, it is a good idea not to mix sharps and flats in the same chord if you can avoid it. Of course, it depends somewhat on what key you are in and what the other chords in the measure might be.


BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.