Chords are essential elements of music and can dramatically change its atmosphere and feel. Understanding how various kinds of chords function is paramount for any musician.
A seventh chord consists of three notes in unison that sound an interval one step above their root note. Due to this dissonant interval, seventh chords must be resolved carefully in order to ensure proper voice-leading.
Major
The major seventh chord is an invaluable asset to any musician’s toolbox, adding depth and emotion to every note you play.
To create a major seventh chord, begin with any note in the major scale – either as its root note or to form its triad. From there, build a major triad, skipping every other note until reaching third and fifth notes respectively, before adding major seventh intervals as necessary.
Analyse each stacked note’s relationship to its root in order to assess the quality of chord you create. For instance, C to E is considered major third, while C to G constitutes minor third.
Minor seventh chord is an indispensable chord to know for any musician. It adds an elegant note to any tune and can even become very haunting.
Minor
Minor seventh chords are created using the same three note triad as major chords but replacing one of their 3rds with a flat 3rd. Their composition consists of root, flat 3rd, and 5th notes; minor chords often resolve via falling fifth root motion.
To identify a seventh chord, start by drawing its root on a staff, writing any accidentals that apply to its triad and seventh notes (those which form an extra-long snowperson), then applying a quality that describes these notes and their interval relationships.
By understanding these chord types, musicians of all levels can add their own musical flavor to compositions and arrangements. Keep in mind that seventh chord quality may also be altered by adding extensions – something we will cover further on in Chapter 7.
Dominant
In chord theory, dominant sevenths hold great influence. Their use creates tension that helps steer chord progressions in certain directions – or modulate keys quickly like often found in funk music.
To create a dominant seventh chord, all it takes is adding a flattened seventh note to a major triad. Once you understand this pattern, playing dominant seventh chords shouldn’t require too many adjustments; just lower the seventh note by half-step from what would normally appear in scale notation and you are ready! Dominant seventh chords are especially prevalent in blues music (John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” and Muddy Waters’ “Blues Before Sunrise”) but can also be heard elsewhere in pop genres like rock.
Half-diminished
Half-diminished seventh chords can add tension and excitement to your chord progressions. Commonly used as bridges between dominant or minor chords, half-diminished sevenths create anticipation before reaching their intended destinations chord.
Build a half-diminished seventh chord above any note by following an established pattern of intervals. For instance, to construct a C half-diminished seventh chord you could combine minor third, major third, and diminished fifth intervals into an effective chord structure.
Practice these voicings up and down the fretboard until they can be played quickly and effortlessly in any key, then move on to another voicing. Soon enough, you will have all 7th chord constructions up and down your fretboard!
Harmonic
Harmonic seventh chords are composed of three notes combined into a perfect fifth interval, providing the keystones to creating harmony when harmonizing scales.
This process gives rise to a set of chords that function within the scale, known as the dominant area. This area of a scale contains chords that often want to resolve back towards its tonic note (tonic).
To create a minor seventh chord, write out the root triad on the staff, followed by writing notes a third, fifth, and seventh above it. Use accidentals from your key signature as necessary to construct any quality of minor seventh chord. To make a diminished seventh chord simply flatten its fifth note by one half step to create a half-diminished seventh.