Minor seventh chord

Definition

A minor seventh chord is a four-note chord consisting of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. This chord conveys a sense of tension and emotion, often used in various musical styles to add depth and complexity. Its structure also highlights the differences between major, minor, diminished, and augmented chord qualities, especially in how the intervals are arranged.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The notes in a minor seventh chord can be represented as 1 (root), b3 (minor third), 5 (perfect fifth), and b7 (minor seventh).
2. In a C minor seventh chord (Cm7), the notes are C, Eb, G, and Bb.
3. The minor seventh chord is often used in jazz and blues music, adding rich harmonic texture to progressions.
4. When played in root position, the minor seventh chord has a distinctive sound that contrasts with major chords due to the flattened third and seventh.
5. In harmonic contexts, minor seventh chords often resolve to dominant chords or act as ii chords in ii-V-I progressions.

Review Questions

• How does the structure of a minor seventh chord differ from that of a major seventh chord?
  • The structure of a minor seventh chord includes a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh, while a major seventh chord consists of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh. The key difference lies in the third and the seventh intervals; the minor seventh has flattened versions of these intervals compared to the major. This difference in interval quality gives each chord its unique emotional character and function within music.
• Discuss how the minor seventh chord can function in harmonic progressions.
  • The minor seventh chord can function as a ii chord in ii-V-I progressions commonly found in jazz. For example, in the key of C major, Dm7 serves as the ii leading to G7 (the V), which resolves to Cmaj7 (the I). This progression highlights how minor seventh chords can create movement toward resolution while maintaining harmonic interest through their inherent tension.
• Evaluate the emotional impact of using minor seventh chords in different musical genres.
  • Using minor seventh chords can evoke various emotional responses depending on the musical genre. In jazz, their use contributes to complex harmonic textures and often conveys feelings of melancholy or introspection. In blues music, they provide a deeper sense of yearning or tension. Thus, the emotional impact is shaped by not only the chord itself but also by its context within the overall musical narrative, allowing for varied interpretations across different styles.

Related terms

Diminished seventh chord:

A diminished seventh chord is a four-note chord made up of a root, minor third, diminished fifth, and diminished seventh, creating a tense and unstable sound.

Major seventh chord: A major seventh chord consists of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh, offering a more uplifting and resolved quality compared to its minor counterpart.

Chord inversion: Chord inversion refers to the rearrangement of the notes in a chord so that a note other than the root is the lowest pitch, altering the chord's bass note while retaining its quality.