A seventh chord is an extension of a basic 3-note triad and there are five common types found in western music: major, minor, dominant, diminished and half-diminished chords.
Just like triads, seventh chords can be identified by their root, quality and inversion. Below is a table displaying five seventh chord qualities you should become acquainted with.
Root Note
Root notes are the lowest pitches of all chord notes. Inverted seventh chords occur when their root note has been raised an octave; such chords are known as inverted seventh chords.
Notating triads with sevenths added above involves drawing the root on the staff and then adding notes a third, fifth or seventh above it with any appropriate accidentals from your key signature – for instance a major triad with major seventh would sound something like this:
An augmented seventh chord is constructed by using an augmented triad as its basis, so its root would consist of C-E-G sharp-B flat in G major key:
Third Note
Seventh chords are more complex than their triadic counterparts due to the addition of four notes and an interval above the root note, creating more dissonant music overall despite providing richer harmony than just tonic triad.
Each note in a seventh chord can be divided into thirds; the lowest third is known as the root; lower middle notes make up third; while upper middle notes represent fifths.
A seventh chord may contain one or more major, minor, or diminished seventh notes; these notes typically fall either within its triad structure or seventh pattern and when these components converge are known as major or minor seventh chords.
C major seventh chords consist of three components – C as the root note, E as its third note and B as its fifth note – but when reduced or diminished it can also include G7 as G is lower by one half step – just add “d” after G to identify this chord as diminished seventh.
Fifth Note
A seventh chord’s fifth note can either be minor or major. When the first three notes combine into a triad and the seventh note falls a step and a half below its octave, this type of chord is known as a diminished seventh. To gain more knowledge on this topic, view Skoove’s lesson about diminished chords.
When the initial three notes of a triad are augmented and the seventh note sits an octave above the bass note, this type of 7th chord creates tension and power within musical compositions.
Each chord has a note interval quality (diminished, minor, major or perfect) which gives it its distinct sound. Furthermore, each note of a 7th chord also has its own interval quality that sets it apart from other triad chords. Below is a table displaying these interval qualities alongside their short interval name / abbreviations in brackets.
Seventh Note
Seventh chords are formed by adding an interval of a seventh above the root note to form dissonant chords that create dramatic and emotive music. They’re used across genres of music, making an essential contribution to expanding harmonic range on piano.
The dominant 7th chord is one of the most frequently utilized seventh chords and can be found across genres from rock to blues music. This dramatic and tense chord requires careful articulation in order to maintain clarity for listeners.
The diminished 7th chord can be more complex to create than its major 7th cousin but still relatively straightforward. To create it, take a diminished triad and lower its fifth note by one half step to form a minor seventh chord – perfect for use in jazz music! Additionally, its rich jazz sound also lends it a distinctive soundscape.