What Are 7th Chords: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you wondering what are 7th chords

If you’re looking to up your musical game, 7th chords are a great place to start. They add depth and complexity to a song, and mastering them can open up a new world of musical creativity. 

But what exactly are they? 

Let’s find out!

What Are 7th Chords?

A 7th chord is a four-note chord composed of a root (1), third (3), fifth (5), and seventh (7). The notes in the chord do not necessarily need to be played simultaneously; instead, they can be arpeggiated (played one after another). 

This adds even more texture and variation to the sound. You can identify 7th chords by their name; for example, Cmaj7 or Dmin7.

The most common type of 7th chord is the major 7th chord, which consists of the root note, the major 3rd, perfect 5th, and major 7th notes of a scale. 

For example, if we look at the C major scale: C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C, the notes in a Cmaj7 chord would be C – E – G – B. Minor 7ths consist of all minor intervals except for the perfect 5th; for example, if we look at a Cmin7 chord it would consist of C – Eb – G – Bb.

There are also other types of 7th chords, such as diminished 7ths and augmented 7ths. Diminished chords contain minor 3rds and diminished 5ths, while augmented chords have both major 3rds and augmented 5ths. 

These two chords also feature an additional note called “the tritone” that creates dissonance when played together with other notes in a piece or song.

Conclusion: What Are 7th Chords

Overall, many different types of seventh chords make music more exciting and complex. 

Seventh chords add texture and flavor to any song or piece of music you create, so it is important to understand how these chords work and how they interact with each other to get creative with your music-making process! 

With practice comes mastery—experimenting with different seventh chords will help you better create unique sounds that can take your music in new directions!

That’s all! You can also check out How to Read Piano Chords and What Are Suspended Chords?

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