Main Body
10 Seventh chords
Learning goals for Chapter 10
In this chapter, we will learn:
- How to construct and identify the five different types of seventh chord
- How seventh chords are used in some musical contexts
- How to analyze scores that contain triads and seventh chords
Seventh chords
consist of four notes—a , a , a , and a —stacked in thirds. In determining the quality of a seventh chord, two factors need to be taken into account: the quality of the base triad and that of the interval between the root and the seventh. There are five possible qualities:
- Major-major (MA7): major triad + major seventh
- Major-minor or dominant (MAmi7, V7, or 7): major triad + minor seventh
- Minor-minor (mi7): minor triad + minor seventh
- Half diminished (ø7): diminished triad + minor seventh
- Fully diminished (o7): diminished triad + diminished seventh
Example 10-1 shows how each of these seventh chords can be constructed by spelling the base triad and then adding a seventh above the root.
Example 10‑1. Seventh chords on A
Like triads, seventh chords may appear in , when the root appears as the lowest note, or , when a note other than the root is the bass.
The most common seventh chord is the major-minor seventh. It most often appears as the chord built on scale degree 
and consequently is also called the dominant seventh chord.
Video: T25 Intro to seventh chords (4:55)
This video presents the properties of the different seventh chord qualities: major seventh, major-minor seventh, minor seventh, half-diminished seventh, and fully diminished seventh.
Seventh chords in context
Video: T26 Seventh chords in context (10:28)
This video explores each of the seventh chords in different musical contexts, with examples by Coldplay, Roy Orbison, Frederic Chopin, Richard Wagner, and Archangelo Corelli. Please have a sheet of staff paper handy or use Exercise 10-1 as you watch this interactive video.
EXERCISE 10-1 Seventh chords in context
For each of the seventh chord types, spell the indicated chord and study its use in the example that follows.
MA7 [major triad + MA7 between root and seventh]. Below or on a separate sheet of staff paper, spell a major seventh chord with D
as the root. Select the right arrow over the image to view the answer.
Listen to the D major seventh chord in Worksheet example 10‑1. It appears in what is called a shuttle progression, which alternates two different chords, with a B minor seventh chord.
Worksheet example 10‑1. Coldplay, “Sparks,” 0:10–0:37
MAmi7 [major triad + mi7 between root and seventh]. Below or on a separate sheet of staff paper, spell a major-minor seventh chord with E as the root. Select the right arrow over the image to view the answer.
Listen to the E major-minor seventh chord in Worksheet example 10‑2.
Worksheet example 10‑2. Roy Orbison, “Oh, Pretty Woman,” 0:00–0:21
Listen to the full track on Spotify.
Learn about American singer-songwriter Roy Orbison (1936–1988) by reading this Oxford Music Online article, written by Liz Thomson.
mi7 [minor triad + mi7 between root and seventh]. Below or on a separate sheet of staff paper, spell a minor seventh chord with C
as the root. Select the right arrow over the image to view the answer.
Find the C minor seventh chord in Worksheet example 10‑3.
Worksheet example 10‑3. Frederic Chopin, Nocturne in B major, op. 62, no. 1, mm. 1–4
Listen to the full track, performed by Daniel Barenboim, on Spotify.
Learn about Polish composer Frederic Chopin (1810–1841) by reading this Oxford Music Online article, written by Jim Samson.
ø7 [diminished triad + mi7 between root and seventh]. Below or on a separate sheet of staff paper, spell a half-diminished seventh chord with F as the root. Select the right arrow over the image to view the answer.
Now, respell this chord using enharmonic equivalents for the third, fifth, and seventh. The respelled chord should have F as the root and no flats modifying any of the notes. Select the right arrow over the image to view the answer.
Find the respelled version of the Fø7 chord in Worksheet example 10‑4. Notice that the chord is respelled in order to avoid flats in this example. Another half-diminished seventh chord appears in m. 6. This chord is also respelled with enharmonic equivalents. If it were spelled in the traditional way, what the root of this chord be?
Worksheet example 10‑4. Richard Wagner, Prelude to Tristan und Isolde, mm. 1–7, orchestral reduction
Listen to the full prelude, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic and conducted by Sir Georg Solti, on Spotify.
Learn about German composer Richard Wagner (1813–1883) by reading this Oxford Music Online article, written by Barry Millington and others.
o7 [diminished triad + d7 between root and seventh]. Below or on a separate sheet of staff paper, spell a fully diminished seventh chord with F as the root. Select the right arrow over the image to view the answer.
Find the F fully diminished seventh chord in Worksheet example 10‑5.
Worksheet example 10‑5. Arcangelo Corelli, Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, op. 6, no. 11, mvt. 3, mm. 1–9, accompanimental string parts only
Listen to the example, performed by The English Concert, on Spotify.
Learn about Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713) by reading this Oxford Music Online article, written by Michael Talbot.
Want practice identifying triads and seventh chords by ear? Try these drills:
Triads and seventh chords ear trainer (teoria)
Triads and seventh chords ear trainer (musictheory.net)
EXERCISE 10-2 Analysis with triads and sevenths
After listening to the Corelli example again, build upon the skills you began in the previous exercise by identifying the root, quality, and bass for each chord on the blanks provided. The first is done for you.
Worksheet example 10‑6. Arcangelo Corelli, Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, op. 6, no. 11, mvt. 3, mm. 1–9, accompanimental string parts only
Listen to the example, performed by The English Concert, on Spotify.
Learn about Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713) by reading this Oxford Music Online article, written by Michael Talbot.
EXERCISE 10-3 Drills with triads and sevenths
PART A. Chord spelling. Given the roots and qualities, spell the following triads and seventh chords on a piece of staff paper. If no modifier is given for a seventh chord, assume the quality is major-minor (MAmi7). All other seventh chords will have a symbol to indicate quality (MA7 = major, mi7 = minor, ø7 = half diminished, and o7 = fully diminished). Triad qualities are major (MA), minor (mi), diminished (o), and augmented (+).
SET 1
SET 2
PART B. Chord labeling. Label each of the following chords by root (letter name) and quality (MA, mi, o, and + for triads, and MA7, 7, mi7, ø7, and o7) beneath the staff. The first is done for you.
SET 3
SET 4
Practice constructing seventh chords (teoria)
Practice constructing seventh chords (musictheory.net)
Practice identifying seventh chords (teoria)
Practice identifying seventh chords (musictheory.net)
Supplemental resources for Chapter 10
chords consisting of four notes stacked in thirds
the fundamental note from which a chord is built
with regard to chords, the note that appears a third above the root when the triad is in its most compact form
with regard to chords, the note that appears a fifth above the root when the triad is in its most compact form
with regard to chords, the note that appears a seventh above the root when the chord is in root position
designation for chords whose lowest note is also the root of the chord
designation for chords that feature a member other than the root as the lowest note
