Introduction to Non-Diatonic Scales
102 Review of Seventh Chords
Review of Seventh Chords (Simple Presentation)
In earlier chapters, we studied five types of seventh chords, their solfege and harmonic function (some of them have more than one!), and where we are likely to find them in context. Review the linked playlist, which features contexts for all five types of seventh chords.
As we increase in fluency at the subject, we will expand our listening skills to identify seventh chords in compound presentation. It’s always a wise idea to review fundamentals, so this week we will revisit seventh chords in simple presentation so that we can fluently identify them in compound presentation later.
After re-familiarizing yourself with the chords, play them on the piano – blocked and arpeggiated in ascending and descending motion – and sing up and down the tones using solfege. What are their differences and commonalities? (Questions to ask yourself: function? Intervallic relations? Context within major and/or minor keys?)
The table below (again, this is review) explains the characteristics, harmonic function, and solfege of each of the seventh chords. Please re-commit the table to memory.
| Chord Name | fully diminished 7 | half diminished 7 | minor-minor 7 | major-minor 7 | major-major 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | dd7 | dm7 | mm7 | Mm7 | MM7 |
| Intervallic Structure of the Chord | diminished triad + major third OR three stacked minor 3rds | diminished triad + major 3rd | minor triad + minor 3rd | major triad + minor 3rd | major triad + major 3rd |
| Common Harmonic Function | vii07 in minor keys | iiØ7 in minor keys OR viiØ7 in major keys | ii7 OR vi7 in major keys | V7 in major AND minor keys | rare in classical music; commoner in jazz and pop |
| Solfege | ti re fa le | re fa le do OR ti re fa la | re fa la do OR la do mi sol | sol ti re fa | do mi sol ti |
