Once you have mastered triads and major chords, it’s time to expand your knowledge by learning 7th chords – triads with an additional seventh note added on top.
Swift’s use of this progression in “Seven” is an outstanding example of musical irony. By continually repeating it, she creates room for other aspects to shine – such as lyrics or melody – within the song to stand out more prominently.
Major Triad
Combining two major third intervals results in the formation of a chord known as a triad. It can consist of any three notes arranged any which way (C E G for example), but starting on its root note creates what is known as “root position”, while keeping its quality intact.
Addition of one additional third interval results in an “augmented chord”, creating tension with its unfinished sound and unresolved chord progression. Hendrix and the Beatles often used this type of chord progression, as do classical pieces like Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel Waltz which contain an augmented chord progression.
Minor Triad
Minor triad chords consist of two notes; a minor third on the bottom note and two major thirds stacked above it, along with an intermediate perfect fifth between these notes.
Each note interval in a triad chord has been designated with its own special name depending on its quality. For instance, an A minor triad chord has both major third and minor second intervals stacked above it for its note interval formula: 1b3 5.
Minor triads, like major triads, are stable because their fifth is considered “perfect”, or universally consonant. You should practice playing your minor triad shapes across all 12 keys until they feel natural!
Dominant Triad
A dominant triad is a chord formed from the root, third, and fifth tones of any scale. It typically features wider spacing than major triads and encompasses five intervals when played in root position.
Dominant chords tend to resolve to the tonic quickly and contain the leading tone of their key; thus making them ideal tools for modulation to another key.
Additionally, dominant seventh chords can be further expanded into ii, vi, and vii7 chords for more emotional effects and to add tension or drama in a progression or musical narrative.
Diminished Triad
Dissonance may seem discordant to listeners but can actually create beautiful harmonic arrangements; an example being the diminished chord.
Diminished chords are composed of a simple triad stacked on top of two minor third intervals and feature a flattened fifth note, giving them their haunting and dissonant sound.
These chords can be found in genres as diverse as 30’s swing and neoclassical metal, where they should be strategically used to add propulsion. When applied sparingly they should only be sprinkled into chord progressions to add propulsion.
Note that diminished chords differ from major and minor chords in that they contain dissonant intervals and tend to be less stable, leading to greater tension and instability.
Major 7th
Major seventh chords can be found in many jazz styles and rock music genres. Their dense sound makes for a pleasing chord build; you can use major triads or flatten the fifth to produce half-diminished sevenths to form these chords.
As with triads, seventh chords always contain an interval one octave higher from their root note. This applies equally for major and minor sevenths despite their varied sound qualities; therefore you can use enharmonic equivalence to spell these chords, as well as learning how to identify them through their voicings (see below).
Minor 7th
Minor 7th chords are an invaluable asset to your repertoire. Their soothing tones can add depth and dimension to songs from jazz, blues and R&B music genres alike. Plus, you can layer one over a basic minor triad without altering its overall sound!
This chord can be created by stacking minor thirds, major sevenths and diminished fifths over any root note. You’ll often hear it used in rock, jazz and country music genres.
To play this chord effectively, it is useful to understand the interval of a minor 7 found in the table below.