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 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).

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 3 rd
between the Root and 3rd and a minor 3rd
between the Root and 5th.

In this Bb Major Seventh Chord, there is a Major 3 rd

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).

Major-minor Seventh Chord

A Major-minor Seventh Chord consists of a

Major Triad on the bottom and a minor 7 th

above the Root. The Major-minor Seventh
Chord is commonly called the Dominant 7 th
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.

Major-minor Seventh Chord

This is the C Dominant 7 th 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).

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 3 rd
between the Root and 3rd and a Major 3rd between
the Root and 5th.

In this E minor Seventh Chord, there is a minor 3 rd

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).

Half-diminished Seventh
Chord

A half-diminished Seventh Chord consists of a

diminished triad on the bottom and a minor 7 th

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).

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 5 th.

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 3 rd from 5th
to 7th (Ab to Cb).

Lets Practice!
What is the Quality

of this Seventh
chord?

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).

Lets Practice!
What is the Quality

of this Seventh
chord?

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.

Lets Practice!
What is the Quality

of this Seventh
chord?

The Answer

What is the Quality of

this Seventh chord?

This is a F Dominant
Seventh Chord (Majorminor 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.

Lets Practice!
What is the Quality

of this Seventh
chord?

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.

Lets Practice!
What is the Quality

of this Seventh
chord?

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.

Lets Practice!
What is the Quality

of this Seventh
chord?

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.

Lets Practice!
What is the Quality

of this Seventh
chord?

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.