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In order for this article to make sense, you need to know what the number system is in music theory. Read this article to find out:
https://www.petemartin.info/number-system-in-music.html
The three most common chords we run into when we play non-Jazz music are:
As was covered in the article on "Chord Spellings"
https://www.petemartin.info/chord-spellings.html
Major chords are 1 3 5, minor chords are 1 b3 5 and dominant chords are 1 3 5 b7. Notice there are two kinds of 3 notes or "thirds", the 3 and the b3. There are also two types of 7 notes, 7 and b7. There are a number of chords that have "seventh" in the title. The most common are "Major Seventh" (1 3 5 7) and "Dominant Seventh" (1 3 5 b7).
Major seventh is used by Jazz players and is rarely seen in music styles outside that realm. Dominant seventh is used in every music style in the world, thus making it more common. Because of this type of seventh being WAY more common, in naming the chord most people just call it "seventh" without using the term "dominant" in front. I personally like to use the term "dominant" when talking about a seventh chord with students as it does subtly remind them there is more than one seventh chord.
Click the file below to see and hear the differences between Major Seventh and (Dominant) Seventh chords.
https://www.petemartin.info/number-system-in-music.html
The three most common chords we run into when we play non-Jazz music are:
- Major chords
- Minor chords
- Dominant Seventh chords
As was covered in the article on "Chord Spellings"
https://www.petemartin.info/chord-spellings.html
Major chords are 1 3 5, minor chords are 1 b3 5 and dominant chords are 1 3 5 b7. Notice there are two kinds of 3 notes or "thirds", the 3 and the b3. There are also two types of 7 notes, 7 and b7. There are a number of chords that have "seventh" in the title. The most common are "Major Seventh" (1 3 5 7) and "Dominant Seventh" (1 3 5 b7).
Major seventh is used by Jazz players and is rarely seen in music styles outside that realm. Dominant seventh is used in every music style in the world, thus making it more common. Because of this type of seventh being WAY more common, in naming the chord most people just call it "seventh" without using the term "dominant" in front. I personally like to use the term "dominant" when talking about a seventh chord with students as it does subtly remind them there is more than one seventh chord.
Click the file below to see and hear the differences between Major Seventh and (Dominant) Seventh chords.
| g_major_gmaj7_g7.pdf |