So what you're saying is you're as confused as the rest of us regarding diminished seventh chords but don't want to admit it?
In this tutorial, we will be taking a breather and look back at scales and chords, while also figuring out where all the new chords we have learned fit in. So, let's have some fun.
2. Reviewing scales and chords
I originally planned on talking about diminished 7th chords in this tutorial, but what we're about to discuss today fits better for a learning process, at least in my book.
A while back we learned what quality each chord from a diatonic scale has. Visually, it's something like this:
This is all fine and dandy for major and minor chords. But where and how do you play a seventh chord in all of this? Well, it goes something like this:
As you can see, more often than not, there is a correspondence between the quality of the normal and seventh chords (in that where you would normally have a major chord, you could play a major seventh). The only exceptions are the chords formed on the 5th and 7th notes/degrees of the scale.
That about covers it for this one. Next time, we will discuss diminished 7th chords. See you then.
- Topics of discussion
- Reviewing scales and chords
In this tutorial, we will be taking a breather and look back at scales and chords, while also figuring out where all the new chords we have learned fit in. So, let's have some fun.
2. Reviewing scales and chords
I originally planned on talking about diminished 7th chords in this tutorial, but what we're about to discuss today fits better for a learning process, at least in my book.
A while back we learned what quality each chord from a diatonic scale has. Visually, it's something like this:
| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| major scale | maj | min | min | maj | maj | min | dim |
| natural minor scale | min | dim | maj | min | min | maj | maj |
This is all fine and dandy for major and minor chords. But where and how do you play a seventh chord in all of this? Well, it goes something like this:
| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| major scale | maj7 | m7 | m7 | maj7 | 7 | m7 | m7(♭5) |
| natural minor scale | m7 | m7(♭5) | maj7 | m7 | m7 | maj7 | 7 |
As you can see, more often than not, there is a correspondence between the quality of the normal and seventh chords (in that where you would normally have a major chord, you could play a major seventh). The only exceptions are the chords formed on the 5th and 7th notes/degrees of the scale.
That about covers it for this one. Next time, we will discuss diminished 7th chords. See you then.