• The Formation Of Regular Seventh Chords – Simplified

    in Piano

    In this lesson, we’ll be focusing on the formation of regular seventh chords.

    So, if you’re love seventh chords and are interested in learning the an easier way to form them in all twelve keys, then you are on the right page.

    At the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to form the following seventh chords:

    Major seventh chords

    Minor seventh chords

    Dominant seventh chords

    …using triads.

    A Short Note On Seventh Chords

    A chord consists of three or more related notes (agreeable or not) which may be heard or played together.

    A classic example of a chord is the C major triad:

    …which consists of three notes – C, E, and G:

    …which are related by the C major scale:

    …and the notes may be played (or heard) together.

    “What Is A Seventh Chord?”

    The class of chords classified as seventh chords are chords that encompass the interval of a seventh. In the C major scale:

    …a major seventh interval is a product of the relationship between the first and seventh tones of the scale (which are C and B):

    …while in the C minor scale:

    …a minor seventh interval is a product of the relationship between the first and seventh tones of the scale (which are C and Bb):

    Using the C major scale as a reference, a seventh chord can be formed in third intervals starting from C:

    A third above C:

    …is E:

    Another third above C-E:

    …is G:

    Then adding another third to C-E-G:

    …which is B:

    …produces C-E-G-B:

    …a seventh chord — encompassing a seventh interval (C-B):

    Regular Seventh Chord Types

    Although there are a variety of seventh chords, there are regular seventh chords that every serious musician must know. They include (but are not limited to):

    The major seventh chord

    The minor seventh chord

    The dominant seventh chord

    “Check Out These Seventh Chords On C…”

    C major seventh chord:

    C minor seventh chord:

    C dominant seventh chord:

    Let’s go ahead and explore easier ways these seventh chord types can be formed.

    Final Words

    Now you’ve learned how the major, minor, and dominant seventh chord can be formed, I recommend that you practice perfect this formation technique in all twelve keys.

    See you in the next lesson where we’ll be applying these seventh chords to chord progressions and songs.

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    Chuku Onyemachi

    Head of Education at HearandPlay Music Group
    Onyemachi "Onye" Chuku is a Nigerian musicologist, pianist, and author. Inspired by his role model (Jermaine Griggs) who has become his mentor, what he started off as teaching musicians in his Aba-Nigeria neighborhood in April 2005 eventually morphed into an international career that has helped hundreds of thousands of musicians all around the world. Onye lives in Dubai and is currently the Head of Education at HearandPlay Music Group and the music consultant of the Gospel Music Training Center, all in California, USA.




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