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Difference between revisions of "7th Chords"

m (→‎Half Diminished)
m (→‎Fully Diminished)
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== Fully Diminished ==
 
== Fully Diminished ==
 +
The fully diminished chord is quite rare for diatonic chord progressions; however, it is very handy for modulating between keys.  It serves as a pivot chord between basically any 2 keys.  It is also useful to enter an atonal feel, where chromatic or octatonic scales can play over the chord.
 +
 
{|class="wikitable"
 
{|class="wikitable"
 
! Member Notes !! Spelling !! Ex.
 
! Member Notes !! Spelling !! Ex.
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| (R m3 d5 d7) || R°7 (R = Root Note) || B°7, (B D F Ab)
 
| (R m3 d5 d7) || R°7 (R = Root Note) || B°7, (B D F Ab)
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
R    m3    d5    d7
 +
  -m3-  -m3-  '''-m3-'''
 +
  ----d5---- 
 +
        '''----d5----'''
 +
  '''-------d7-------'''
 +
 +
Holy wowsers that's some dissonant stuff.  Adding the d7 to the diminished triad simply extends its dissonant feel further.  Notice that the inversion of the d7 is a m3, making the distance from the d7 to the octave another m3.  In another words, this chord is an endless sequence of stacked m3's.
  
 
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Revision as of 14:30, 28 May 2014

Seventh Chords extend our basic Root-3rd-5th triad chords by adding a 7th (R-3-5-7). This extra note adds an additional degree of harmonic complexity to chords. They can be used to strenghthen or weaken the resolve of cadences, as well as simply making things more interesting. It gives us a much greater variety of chords to choose from.

PreReqs

Dominant Seventh

Member Notes Spelling Ex.
(R M3 P5 m7) R7 (R = Root Note) G7, (G B D A)

The Dominant Seventh is the most common 7th chord. It is the dominant 7th (V7) chord of the Major and Harmonic Minor scales. The m7 in the chord above the major triad enhances the tension of the dominant chord and its resolution to tonic. It contains the following intervals: 

R    M3    P5    m7
 -M3-  -m3-  -m3-
 ----P5----  
       ----d5----
 -------m7-------

Notice the d5, extra m3, and m7 intervals the 7th introduces. This has a huge impact in the overall dissonance of the chord, adding to its dominant function as the V7 chord.

Fingering Charts 
R |i|-|-|
5 |i|-|-|
3 |)|m|-|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |)|-|r|
R |i|-|-|

7 |-|m|-|-|
3 |i|-|-|-|
R |i|-|-|-|
5 |i|-|-|-|
3 |-|-|r|-|
R |-|-|-|p|

5 |i|-|-|
3 |)|-|p|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |)|-|r|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

  |-|-|-|
R |i|-|-|
7 |-|-|p|
3 |-|m|-|
R |-|-|r|
  |-|-|-|

3 |-|-|p|
7 |-|m|-|
5 |-|-|r|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

7 |i|-|-|-|-|
5 |-|-|m|-|-|
3 |-|-|-|r|-|
R |-|-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|

Major Seventh

Member Notes Spelling Ex.
(R M3 P5 M7) R Maj7 (R = Root Note) C Maj7, (C E G B)

The Major Seventh is a fairly common 7th chord. It appears as on the I and IV chords diatonic to the major scale. The M7 typically needs some space to prevent it from sounding overly dissonant. If the octave is stacked on top the M7, you get the inversion of the M7, the m2 interval, which is very dissonant. Overall, I find this chord sounds quite peaceful; however, it still has a bit of tension. This makes it work great for jazz or if you want to use the tonic without feeling fully resolved. It contains the following intervals: 

R    M3    P5    M7
 -M3-  -m3-  -M3-
 ----P5----  
       ----P5----
 -------M7-------

A rather consonant set of intervals, with the exception of the M7. So long as the major 7th isn't voiced right against the root or octave, it isn't unbearable. The dual perfect fifths and extra M3 add to the consonance of the chord. Overall, I find the major 7th is quite consonant and peaceful, but there's something deep inside the chord that feels mysterious and subtly unresolved.

Fingering Charts 
7 |i|-|-|-|
  |)|-|-|-|
3 |-|)|r|-|
7 |-|)|m|-|
5 |-|)|-|p|
R |-|i|-|-|

7 |-|-|m|-|
3 |i|-|-|-|
R |i|-|-|-|
5 |i|-|-|-|
3 |-|-|r|-|
R |-|-|-|p|

5 |i|-|-|
3 |)|-|p|
7 |)|m|-|
5 |)|-|r|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

5 |i|-|-|-|
7 |i|-|-|-|
5 |i|-|-|-|
3 |-|-|m|-|
R |-|-|-|r|
  |-|-|-|-|

3 |-|-|r|
7 |-|-|r|
5 |-|-|r|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

7 |i|-|-|-|
5 |-|m|-|-|
3 |-|-|r|-|
R |-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|

Minor Seventh

Member Notes Spelling Ex.
(R m3 P5 m7) Rm7 (R = Root Note) Dm7, (D F A C) 
R    m3    P5    m7
 -m3-  -M3-  -m3-
 ----P5----  
       ----P5----
 -------m7-------

Adding the m7 adds a m3, P5, and m7 interval to the chord. The overall effect is to add some subtle mystery to the chord, similar to the Major 7th Chord. The added intervals are fairly consonant and don't seem to make the chord more dissonant, but the chord is clearly altered and sounds less resolved in-and-of itself.

Fingering Charts 
R |i|-|-|
5 |i|-|-|
3 |i|-|-|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |)|-|r|
R |i|-|-|

5 |i|-|-|
3 |)|m|-|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |)|-|r|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

  |-|-|-|
R |i|-|-|
7 |)|-|p|
3 |i|-|-|
R |-|-|r|
  |-|-|-|

3 |-|r|-|
7 |-|m|-|
5 |-|-|p|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

7 |i|-|-|-|-|
5 |-|-|r|-|-|
3 |-|-|m|-|-|
R |-|-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|

Minor/Major Seventh

Member Notes Spelling Ex.
(R m3 P5 M7) Rm Maj7 (R = Root Note) Dm Maj7, (D F A C#) 
R    m3    P5    M7
 -m3-  -M3-  -M3-
 ----P5----  
       ----a5----
 -------M7-------

If you remove the root from this chord, you are left with an augmented triad. You can hear it inside this chord - it sounds unsettling, but it also sounds lost like there is no chord that can easily resolve it, other than to treat the M7 like a suspension and resolve it down to a m7, giving you a Minor 7th Chord. I like arpeggiating this chord. It's more stable (clearer root/tonality) than a simple augmented or diminished chord, but it shares their open-ended mysterious tone.

Fingering Charts 
  |-|-|-|
5 |i|-|-|
3 |i|-|-|
7 |)|m|-|
5 |)|-|r|
R |i|-|-|

5 |i|-|-|
3 |)|r|-|
7 |)|m|-|
5 |)|-|p|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

  |-|-|-|-|
R |i|-|-|-|
7 |)|-|-|p|
3 |i|-|-|-|
R |-|-|r|-|
  |-|-|-|-|

3 |-|m|-|
7 |-|-|p|
5 |-|-|r|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

7 |i|-|-|-|
5 |-|r|-|-|
3 |-|m|-|-|
R |-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|

Half Diminished

Member Notes Spelling Ex.
(R m3 d5 m7) Rø7 (R = Root Note) Bø7, (B D F A) 
R    m3    d5    m7
 -m3-  -m3-  -M3-
 ----d5----  
       ----P5----
 -------m7-------

The 7th here adds M3, P5, and m7 intervals to the chord, improving its consonance. I find the half-dimisished chords are also easier to finger and allow more strings to ring out than the diminished triad shapes.

Fingering Charts 
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
3 |i|-|-|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |)|r|-|
R |i|-|-|

  |-|-|
3 |)|r|
7 |i|-|
5 |)|m|
R |i|-|
  |-|-|

3 |-|r|-|
7 |-|r|-|
5 |-|r|-|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

7 |i|-|-|-|-|
5 |-|m|-|-|-|
3 |-|-|r|-|-|
R |-|-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|

Fully Diminished

The fully diminished chord is quite rare for diatonic chord progressions; however, it is very handy for modulating between keys. It serves as a pivot chord between basically any 2 keys. It is also useful to enter an atonal feel, where chromatic or octatonic scales can play over the chord.

Member Notes Spelling Ex.
(R m3 d5 d7) R°7 (R = Root Note) B°7, (B D F Ab) 
R    m3    d5    d7
 -m3-  -m3-  -m3-
 ----d5----  
       ----d5----
 -------d7-------

Holy wowsers that's some dissonant stuff. Adding the d7 to the diminished triad simply extends its dissonant feel further. Notice that the inversion of the d7 is a m3, making the distance from the d7 to the octave another m3. In another words, this chord is an endless sequence of stacked m3's.

Fingering Charts 
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
3 |-|r|-|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |-|-|p|
R |-|m|-|

5 |i|-|-|
3 |)|-|p|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |-|-|r|
R |-|m|-|
  |-|-|-|

3 |-|r|-|
7 |i|-|-|
5 |)|m|-|
R |i|-|-|
  |-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|

7 |i|-|-|-|-|-|
5 |-|-|m|-|-|-|
3 |-|-|-|r|-|-|
R |-|-|-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|-|

Augmented Seventh

Member Notes Spelling Ex.
(R M3 a5 M7) R+7 (R = Root Note) C+7, (C E G# B)
Fingering Charts 
  |-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|
7 |i|-|-|-|-|
5 |-|-|m|-|-|
3 |-|-|-|r|-|
R |-|-|-|-|p|

3 |i|-|-|-|
7 |i|-|-|-|
5 |-|m|-|-|
3 |-|-|r|-|
R |-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|

3 |-|-|r|-|
7 |-|-|r|-|
5 |-|-|-|p|
R |i|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|

7 |i|-|-|-|
5 |-|-|m|-|
3 |-|-|r|-|
R |-|-|-|p|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|

Diatonic Chords

Only Dominant 7ths, Minor 7ths, Major 7ths, and Half-Diminished 7ths are diatonic to the major and natural minor scales.

Major Scale 7th Chords
Harmonic
Name 		I Maj7 ii7 iii7 IV Maj7 V7 vi7 viiø7
C Major
Name 		C Maj7 Dm7 Em7 F Maj7 G7 Am7 Bø7
Natural Minor Scale 7th Chords
Harmonic
Name 		i7 iiø7 III Maj7 iv7 v7 VI Maj7 VII7
A Minor
Name 		Am7 Bø7 C Maj7 Dm7 Em7 F Maj7 G7

Harmonic Minor uses those but additionally adds an Augmented 7th, a Minor/Major 7th, and a Fully Diminished 7th. Every chord is a unique variation.

Harmonic Minor Scale 7th Chords
Harmonic
Name 		i Maj7 iiø7 III+7 iv7 V7 VI Maj7 VII°7
A Minor
Name 		Am Maj7 Bø7 C+7 Dm7 E7 F Maj7 G#°7

The Fully Diminished 7th is also diatonic to the octatonic diminished scales (Whole-Half and Half-Whole).

Sample Progressions

Homework

Q & A

Related Lessons

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