7th Chords

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.

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-------

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)

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#)

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)

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

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

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).