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What is a Seventh Chord?

What is a Seventh Chord?. NCVPS AP Music Theory Created by Dr. Tom Moncrief. Tertian Harmony. Tertian Harmony is creating tonal harmony by stacking 3rds on top of each other. The Seventh Chord is a four-note chord consisting of a Root, a 3 rd , a 5 th and a 7 th .

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What is a Seventh Chord?

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  1. What is a Seventh Chord? NCVPS AP Music Theory Created by Dr. Tom Moncrief

  2. Tertian Harmony • Tertian Harmony is creating tonal harmony by stacking 3rds on top of each other. The Seventh Chord is a four-note chord consisting of a Root, a 3rd, a 5th and a 7th. This is a Seventh chord based on the note “A”. The Root to the 3rd is (“A” to “C#”), the 3rd to 5th is (“C#” to “E”), and the 5th to 7th is (“E” to “G”).

  3. Major Seventh Chord • A Major Seventh Chord consists of a Major Triad on the bottom and a Major 7th above the Root. The Major Triad is identified by a Major 3rd between the Root and 3rd and a minor 3rd between the Root and 5th. In this Bb Major Seventh Chord, there is a Major 3rd from Root to 3rd (“Bb” to “D”), a minor 3rd from 3rd to 5th (“D” to “F”) and a Major 3rd from 5th to 7th (“F” to “A”).

  4. Major-minor Seventh Chord • A Major-minor Seventh Chord consists of a Major Triad on the bottom and a minor 7th above the Root. The Major-minor Seventh Chord is commonly called the Dominant 7th because this is the quality of 7th chord that is built upon the dominant scale degree in a Major Key. The Major Triad is identified by a Major 3rd between the Root and 3rd and a minor 3rd between the Root and 5th.

  5. Major-minor Seventh Chord • This is the C Dominant 7th chord. “C” is the Dominant in the Key of F Major, this is why this chord has a “Bb” as “Bb” is in the Key Signature of F Major. In this C Major-minor Seventh Chord, there is a Major 3rd from Root to 3rd (“C” to “E”), a minor 3rd from 3rd to 5th (“E” to “G”) and a minor 3rd from 5th to 7th (“G” to “Bb”).

  6. Minor Seventh Chord • A minor Seventh Chord consists of a minor Triad on the bottom and a minor 7th above the Root. The minor triad is identified by a minor 3rd between the Root and 3rd and a Major 3rd between the Root and 5th. In this E minor Seventh Chord, there is a minor 3rd from Root to 3rd (“E” to “G”), a Major 3rd from 3rd to 5th (“G” to “B”) and a minor 3rd from 5th to 7th (“B” to “D”).

  7. Half-diminished Seventh Chord • A half-diminished Seventh Chord consists of a diminished triad on the bottom and a minor 7th above the Root. The diminished triad is identified by a minor 3rd between the Root and 3rd and a minor 3rd between the Root and 5th. In this A half-diminshed Seventh Chord, there is a minor 3rd from Root to 3rd (“A” to “C”), a minor 3rd from 3rd to 5th (“C” to “Eb”) and a Major 3rd from 5th to 7th (“Eb” to “G”).

  8. Fully diminished Seventh Chord • A diminished Seventh Chord consists of a diminished triad on the bottom and a diminished 7th above the Root. The diminished triad is identified by a minor 3rd between the Root and 3rd and a minor 3rd between the Root and 5th. In this D fully-diminshed Seventh Chord, there is a minor 3rd from Root to 3rd (“D” to “F”), a minor 3rd from 3rd to 5th (“F” to “Ab”) and a minor 3rd from 5th to 7th (“Ab” to “Cb”).

  9. Let’s Practice! • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord?

  10. The Answer • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord? This is a Dominant Seventh Chord (or Major-minor Seventh Chord). There is a Major triad on the bottom (E, G#, B) and a minor 7th on top (“E” to “D” is a minor 7th).

  11. Let’s Practice! • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord?

  12. The Answer • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord? This is a Major Seventh Chord. The quality of the triad is Major (D, F#, A) and the quality of the 7th is Major (“D” to “C#” is a Major 7th). With a Major Triad and a Major 7th, the quality is a Major Seventh.

  13. Let’s Practice! • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord?

  14. The Answer • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord? This is a F Dominant Seventh Chord (Major-minor seventh). The triad (F, A, C) is Major and the quality of the 7th is minor (“F” to “Eb” is a minor 7th). With a Major Triad on the bottom and a minor 7th this is a Major-minor Seventh Chord.

  15. Let’s Practice! • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord?

  16. The Answer • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord? This is a minor seventh chord. The quality of the triad (B, D, F#) is minor and from the Root to the 7th is a minor 7th (“B” to “A”) is a minor 7th. With a minor triad and a minor 7th this is a minor seventh chord.

  17. Let’s Practice! • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord?

  18. The Answer • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord? This is a half-diminished 7th chord. The quality of the triad (C, Eb, Gb) is diminished and the quality of the 7th is minor (“C” to Bb” is a minor 7th). With a diminished triad and a minor 7th, the quality is a half-diminished 7th chord.

  19. Let’s Practice! • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord?

  20. The Answer • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord? This is a minor seventh chord. The quality of the triad is minor (Ab, Cb, Eb) and the quality of the 7th is minor. With a minor triad and a minor 7th, this is a minor seventh chord.

  21. Let’s Practice! • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord?

  22. The Answer • What is the Quality of this Seventh chord? This is a fully-diminished seventh chord. The quality of the triad is diminished (A, C, Eb) and the quality of the 7th is a diminished 7th (“A” to “Gb”). With a diminished triad and diminished 7th, this is a diminished seventh chord.

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