seventh chord
Triad plus interval
A seventh chord is a four-note chord built by stacking three intervals of a third—a triad with an additional note a seventh above the root.
The most common types are major seventh, minor seventh, and dominant seventh chords.
Seventh chords add harmonic richness and tension, fundamental to jazz, blues, and classical music: The song resolves on a major seventh chord.
Expressing aloud
- inversionReversal of position
- arpeggioSuccessive chord tones
- stackingPlacing items vertically
- lead sheetMinimal musical notation format
Formal decision or determination
- tonicInvigorating medicinal drink
- dominantHaving superior influence
- subdominantFourth scale degree
- leading toneScale's penultimate degree
cadence · tritone · secondary dominant · modulation · turnaround · circle of fifths · predominant
Lack of harmony
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- unresolvedLacking final determination
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
- anticipationState of awaiting something
clash · instability · pull · tendency · release · movement · restlessness · yearning
Fast, complex jazz style
- compingImprovised chordal accompaniment
- voicingsChord tone distributions
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
- standardsAccepted levels of quality
modal · extensions · reharmonization · fake book · head · changes · swing · bossa nova
voicing
Expressing aloud
lead sheet · notation · spelling · enharmonic · open position
resolution
Formal decision or determination
- tonicInvigorating medicinal drink
- dominantHaving superior influence
- subdominantFourth scale degree
leading tone · cadence · tritone · secondary dominant · modulation · turnaround · circle of fifths · predominant
dissonance
Lack of harmony
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- unresolvedLacking final determination
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
anticipation · clash · instability · pull · tendency · release · movement · restlessness · yearning
bebop
Fast, complex jazz style
- compingImprovised chordal accompaniment
- voicingsChord tone distributions
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
standards · modal · extensions · reharmonization · fake book · head · changes · swing · bossa nova · ballad
dominant
Having superior influence
seventh chordtriad
Group of three
minor triad · power chord · dyad · unison · octave