7.13 The seven types of seventh chords

 

Category: Harmony | Tags: Chords, Seventh chords, Ear training: chords

Theory

In this chapter you will learn about seven types of seventh chords, which are found in the various major and minor scales. In the videos and examples, I show how the seven types of seventh chords are built. In the exercises, you are going to make them yourself. You will also learn to distinguish these seventh chords by ear.


1. The seven types of seventh chords

There are seven different types of diatonic seventh chords:

  1. The major seventh chord is made up of a major triad and a major seventh.
  2. The dominant seventh chord is made up of a major triad and a minor seventh.
  3. The minor major seventh chord is made up of a minor triad and a major seventh.
  4. The minor seventh chord is made up of a minor triad and a minor seventh.
  5. The half-diminished seventh chord is made up of a diminished triad and a minor seventh.
  6. The diminished seventh chord is made up of a diminished triad and a diminished seventh.
  7. The augmented seventh chord is made up of an augmented triad and a major seventh.

 

Video

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2. The major seventh chord

The seventh chord A C# E G# is made up of a major triad and a major seventh.

major seventh chord
The seventh chord A C# E G# is made up of the major triad A C# E and the major seventh A G#.

The seventh chord with a major triad and a major seventh is called a major seventh chord.

cd The seven types of seventh chords | Musictheory.educationThe major seventh chord A C# E G#

 

Examples

note example

piano example


3. The dominant seventh chord

The seventh chord A C# E G is made up of a major triad and a minor seventh.

dominant seventh chord
The seventh chord A C# E G is made up of the major triad A C# E and the minor seventh A G.

The seventh chord with a major triad and a minor seventh is called a dominant seventh chord.

cd The seven types of seventh chords | Musictheory.educationThe dominant seventh chord A C# E G

 

Examples

note example

piano example


4. The minor major seventh chord

The seventh chord A C E G# is made up of a minor triad and a major seventh.

minor major seventh chord
The seventh chord A C E G# is made up of the minor triad A C E and the major seventh A G#.

The seventh chord with a minor triad and a major seventh is called a minor major seventh chord.

cd The seven types of seventh chords | Musictheory.educationThe minor major seventh chord A C E G#

 

Examples

note example

piano example


5. The minor seventh chord

The seventh chord A C E G is made up of a minor triad and a minor seventh.

minor seventh chord
The seventh chord A C E G is made up of the minor triad A C E and the minor seventh A G.

The seventh chord with a minor triad and a minor seventh is called a minor seventh chord.

cd The seven types of seventh chords | Musictheory.educationThe minor seventh chord A C E G

 

Examples

note example

piano example


6. The half-diminished seventh chord

The seventh chord A C Eb G is made up of a diminished triad and a minor seventh.

half-diminished seventh chord
The seventh chord A C Eb G is made up of the diminished triad A C Eb and the minor seventh A G.

The seventh chord with a diminished triad and a minor seventh is called a half-diminished seventh chord.

cd The seven types of seventh chords | Musictheory.educationThe half-diminished seventh chord A C Eb G

 

Examples

note example

piano example


7. The diminished seventh chord

The seventh chord A C Eb Gb is made up of a diminished triad and a diminished seventh.

diminished seventh chord
The seventh chord A C Eb Gb is made up of the diminished triad A C Eb and the diminished seventh A Gb.

The seventh chord with a diminished triad and a diminished seventh is called a diminished seventh chord.

cd The seven types of seventh chords | Musictheory.educationThe diminished seventh chord A C Eb Gb

 

Examples

note example

piano example


8. The augmented seventh chord

The seventh chord A C# E# G# is made up of an augmented triad and a major seventh.

augmented seventh chord
The seventh chord A C# E# G# is made up of the augmented triad A C# E# and the major seventh A G#.

The seventh chord with an augmented triad and a major seventh is called an augmented seventh chord.

cd The seven types of seventh chords | Musictheory.educationThe augmented seventh chord A C# E# G#

 

Examples

note example

piano example


9. Practise

Harmony exercise 7d: practise the structure of the seven types of seventh chords.


Harmony exercise 7e: practise recognizing the seven types of seventh chords from musical notation.


Making seventh chords on a given note

 

Harmony exercise 7f: practise making seventh chords with major and minor triads on the natural notes.


Harmony exercise 7g: practise making seventh chords with diminished and augmented triads on the natural notes.


Harmony exercise 7h: practise making seventh chords with major and minor triads on all notes.


Harmony exercise 7i: practise making seventh chords with diminished and augmented triads on all notes.


Making inversions of seventh chords with a given root

 

Harmony exercise 7j: practise making inversions of seventh chords with major and minor triads with given root on the natural notes.


Harmony exercise 7k: practise making inversions of seventh chords with diminished and augmented triads with given root on the natural notes.


Harmony exercise 7l: practise making inversions of seventh chords with major and minor triads with given root on all notes.


Harmony exercise 7m: practise making inversions of seventh chords with diminished and augmented triads with given root on all notes.


Making inversions of seventh chords on a given note

 

Harmony exercise 7n: practise making inversions of seventh chords with major and minor triads on the natural notes.


Harmony exercise 7o: practise making inversions of seventh chords with diminished and augmented triads on the natural notes.


Harmony exercise 7p: practise making inversions of seventh chords with major and minor triads on all notes.


Harmony exercise 7q: practise making inversions of seventh chords with diminished and augmented triads on all notes.

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10. Ear training

 

Practise

Ear Training exercise 7m: distinguishing the difference between a major seventh chord and dominant seventh chord in root position by ear.


Ear Training exercise 7n: distinguishing the difference between a minor major seventh chord and minor seventh chord in root position by ear.


Ear Training exercise 7o: distinguishing the difference between a major seventh chord, dominant seventh chord, minor major seventh chord and minor seventh chord in root position by ear.


Ear Training exercise 7p: distinguishing the difference between a half-diminished seventh chord, diminished seventh chord and augmented seventh chord in root position by ear.

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Example question

Which seventh chord do you hear?

Choise 1: major seventh chord

Choise 2: dominant seventh chord

Choise 3: minor major seventh chord

Choise 4: minor seventh chord

 

Practical steps

Sing the seventh chord being played to form an idea of which seventh chord it might be. Decide which seventh chord is being played.

Answer: minor major seventh chord.