Dominant seventh chord

Definition

A dominant seventh chord is a four-note chord that consists of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. This chord plays a crucial role in tonal music as it creates tension that resolves to the tonic chord, often leading to strong harmonic progressions. Understanding its structure and function is essential for analyzing music, dictating harmonies, and working with different inversions.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The dominant seventh chord is typically built on the fifth degree of the scale, making it a key player in establishing key centers and tonal relationships.
2. This chord contains four notes: the root (1), major third (3), perfect fifth (5), and minor seventh (b7). In C major, for example, it would be G-B-D-F.
3. The tension created by the dominant seventh chord strongly resolves to the tonic chord, commonly leading to cadences in musical compositions.
4. Inversions of the dominant seventh chord can be used to create smoother voice leading and different harmonic colors within progressions.
5. Harmonic dictation often requires identifying dominant seventh chords by recognizing their unique sound and structure when listening to music.

Review Questions

• How does the structure of a dominant seventh chord contribute to its function within a musical progression?
  • The dominant seventh chord's structure includes a major third and a minor seventh, which creates a strong sense of tension. This tension is essential for resolving to the tonic chord, which provides resolution and closure in music. The relationship between these intervals is what makes the dominant seventh so effective in driving harmonic progressions forward, as it prepares the listener for a satisfying return to the home key.
• Compare the dominant seventh chord with other types of seventh chords, discussing their roles in harmonic progression.
  • While the dominant seventh chord is built on the fifth scale degree and resolves strongly to the tonic, other seventh chords like major or minor seventh chords have different characteristics. Major seventh chords have a major third and a major seventh, creating a dreamy sound that doesn't resolve as forcefully. Minor seventh chords contain a minor third and a minor seventh, giving them a more subdued tension. Each type of seventh chord serves unique functions within progressions, but the dominant seventh is distinctive for its role in establishing key centers through strong resolutions.
• Evaluate how understanding the dominant seventh chord enhances your ability to analyze harmonic progressions in various musical styles.
  • Understanding the dominant seventh chord equips you with critical tools for analyzing music across genres. By recognizing its tension and resolution patterns, you can identify how composers create movement within their works. Whether in classical or contemporary music, being able to pinpoint where dominant seventh chords occur allows for deeper insight into how harmonies function together, revealing both stylistic choices and emotional impacts within compositions. This analysis not only enriches your appreciation of music but also informs your own compositional techniques.

Related terms

Tonic: The first degree of a scale, serving as the home base or point of resolution in tonal music.

Subdominant:

The fourth scale degree that often precedes the dominant and helps create movement toward it in harmonic progressions.

Inversion:

The arrangement of the notes in a chord where the bass note is not the root; inversions can change the sound and function of chords in music.