Basic seventh-chord qualities

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Intervals and chords

A seventh chord adds a seventh above the root to a triadic structure. C–E–G–B is a major seventh; C–E–G–B-flat is a dominant seventh. One changed pitch can alter the chord’s direction markedly.

Read root, triad quality and seventh quality separately. In common lead-sheet symbols, C7 means a major triad with a minor seventh, while Cmaj7 uses a major seventh. These are notation conventions, not interchangeable names. Resolution still depends on musical context.

Example

G7: G–B–D–F; Gmaj7: G–B–D–F-sharp.

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Which notes form C minor seventh?

Related topics

References

Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom

Subject-expert review pending.