Introduction to Non-Diatonic Scales
103 New Material – Compound Seventh Chords
Previously, we studied the identification of compound triads. We learned how intervallic relations provide crucial evidence in identifying both chord quality and inversions.
We will use the same procedures for identifying compound seventh chords. To do so, memorize the following table, which provides a handy reference guide for quickly identifying chord qualities – and eliminating incorrect answers. It is useful to remember, for example, whether we can find a perfect fourth or fifth between any of the tones of a given seventh chord. It is also useful to remember what kind of seventh borders the chord in its simple presentation in root position: diminished, minor, or major. By listening intervallically, we can exclude wrong answers quickly.
| (intervallic relation) | fully diminished (dd7) | half diminished (dm7) | minor-minor (mm7) | major-minor (Mm7) | major-major (MM7) |
| contains tritones? | 2 (ti-fa, re-le) | 1 (ti-fa OR re-le) | 0 | 1 (ti-fa) | 0 |
| contains P5 or P4? | no | 1 (re-la OR fa-do) | 2 (re-la and fa-do OR la-mi and do-sol) | 1 (sol-re) | 2 (do-sol, mi-ti) |
| what type of 7th? | diminished (ti-le) | minor (ti-la OR re-do) | minor (re-do OR la-sol) | minor (sol-fa) | major (do-ti) |
