The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

Chapter 9:Chords 117

chord is frequently used to set up the tension leading back to the tonic chord;
when you add a seventh to the dominant triad (with its mix of major triad and
minor seventh), you introduce even more tension to the music. Here’s a quick
look at how to build dominant seventh chords on every note of the scale:

Dominant seventh chords.

There’s really only one way to notate a dominant seventh chord: by placing a sin-
gle 7 after the name of the chord. For example, you notate a C dominant seventh
chord like this: C7.

Major Sevenths

The major seventh chord takes a standard major chord and adds a major seventh
on top of the existing three notes. This gives you a chord consisting of a root,
major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh. For example, a C Major 7 chord
includes the notes C, E, G, and B.

Here’s a quick look at how to build major seventh chords on every note of the scale:

Major seventh chords.

There are several ways to indicate a major seventh chord, as shown in the follow-
ing table:

Notation for Major Seventh Chords

Major Seventh Chord Notation Example

Major 7 C Major 7

Maj7 C Maj7

M7 CM7

∆7C∆ 7

Minor Sevenths

The minor seventh chord takes a standard minor chord and adds a minor seventh
on top of the existing three notes. This gives you a chord consisting of a root, minor

third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. (This is sometimes notated 1-
3-5-
7.)