Ex. C major, simply C : c e g
\M3/ \m3/
\___p5__/
Note all the intervals involved in this chord:
c e g
from c -- M3 p5
from e m6 -- m3
from g p4 M6 --
So if the chord has the third e at the bass note then the intervals
are a m3 to g and a m6 to to c. That's the first inversion of C. If
the chord has the fifth g at the bass note then the intervals are a p4
to c and a M6 to to e. That's the second inversion of C.
Ex. C minor, simply Cm : c !e g
\m3/ \M3/
\___p5___/
Intervals:
c !e g
from c -- m3 p5
from !e M6 -- M3 (1st inversion)
from g p4 m6 -- (2nd inversion)
Ex. C augmented, simply C+5 or C+ : c e #g
\M3/ \M3/
\___#5__/
Intervals:
c e #g
from c -- M3 #5
from e m6 -- M3 (1st inversion)
from #g b4 m6 -- (2nd inversion)
Ex. C diminished, simply Cm-5 or Cmb5 : c !e !g
\m3/ \m3/
\___b5__/
Intervals:
c !e !g
from c -- m3 b5
from !e M6 -- m3 (1st inversion)
from !g #4 M6 -- (2nd inversion)
Major triad: M3 and m3,
minor : m3 and M3,
augmented : M3 and M3,
diminished : m3 and m3.
e ||----|----|--g-|----|----|----|...
b ||----|----|---->-#d-|----|----|...
g ||----|----|----|--b-|----|----|...
d ||----|----|----|----|--g-|----|...
a X|----|----|----|...
e X|----|----|----|...
1st 3rd 5th fret
Now play the B+ by using the "A"-pattern:
e ||----|---->-##f|----|----|----|...
b ||----|----|----|-#d-|----|----|...
g ||----|----|----|--b-|----|----|...
d ||----|----|----|---->-##f|----|...
a X|----|----|----|...
e X|----|----|----|...
1st 3rd 5th fret
Now play the Eb+ by using the "C"-pattern:
e ||----|----|--g-|----|----|----|...
b ||----|----|----|-!e-|----|----|...
g ||----|----|---->--b-|----|----|...
d ||----|----|----|----|--g-|----|...
a X|----|----|----|...
e X|----|----|----|...
1st 3rd 5th fret
The same notes are played in all chords. (Note that ##f ~ g, #d ~ !e).
So G+, B+ and Eb+ are the same chords. You could also find out that
C+, E+ and Ab+ are also the same chords. The same for F+, A+ and C#+
and for D+, F#+ and Bb+.
Observations:
Ex. G dominant 7th, simply G7 : g b d f
\M3/ \m3/ \m3/
\___p5__/
\_____m7_____/
\___b5___/
Note all the intervals involved in this chord:
g b d f
from g -- M3 p5 m7
from b m6 -- m3 b5
from d p4 M6 -- m3
from f M2 #4 M6 --
Characteristic interval of this chord is the diminished 5th between
the major third (b) and the minor seventh (f). If you notice the
construction of the chord, it consists of two triads sounding
together: a major triad (g b d) and a diminished triad (b d f)
Ex. G major 7th, simply Gmaj7 : g b d #f
\M3/ \m3/ \M3/
\___p5__/
\_____M7_____/
\___p5___/
Note all the intervals involved in this chord:
g b d #f
from g -- M3 p5 M7
from b m6 -- m3 p5
from d p4 M6 -- M3
from #f m2 p4 m6 --
If you notice the construction of the chord, it consists of two triads
sounding together: a major triad (g b d) and a minor triad (b d #f)
Ex. G minor 7th, simply Gm7 : g !b d f
\m3/ \M3/ \m3/
\___p5__/
\_____m7_____/
\___p5___/
Note all the intervals involved in this chord:
g !b d f
from g -- m3 p5 m7
from !b M6 -- M3 p5
from d p4 m6 -- m3
from f M2 p4 M6 --
This chord consists of two triads: a minor triad (g !b d) and a major
triad (!b d f).
Ex. G minor, major seventh, simply Gm(maj7) :
g !b d #f
\m3/ \M3/ \M3/
\___p5__/
\_____M7_____/
\___#5___/
Note all the intervals involved in this chord:
g !b d #f
from g -- m3 p5 M7
from !b M6 -- M3 #5
from d p4 m6 -- M3
from #f m2 b4 m6 --
Characteristic interval of this chord is the augmented 5th between the
minor third (!b) and the major seventh (#f). If you notice the
construction of the chord, it consists of two triads sounding
together: a minor triad (g !b d) and an augmented triad (!b d #f).
Ex. G half diminished 7th, simply Gm7b5 : g !b !d f
\m3/ \m3/ \M3/
\___b5__/
\_____m7_____/
\___p5___/
A half diminished appears in the seventh degree of the major
scale:
Bm7b5 : b d f a
Note all the intervals involved in this chord:
b d f a
from b -- m3 b5 m7
from d M6 -- m3 p5
from f #4 M6 -- M3
from a M2 p4 m6 --
If you notice the construction of the chord, it consists of two triads
sounding together: a dim. triad (b d f) and a minor triad (d f a)
Ex. G diminished 7th, simply Gdim : g !b !d !f
\m3/ \m3/ \m3/
\___b5__/
\_____b7_____/
\___b5___/
Bdim : b d f !a
Ddim : d f !a !c (d f !a b)
Note all the intervals involved in this chord:
b d f !a
from b -- m3 b5 b7
from d M6 -- m3 b5
from f #4 M6 -- m3
from !a #2 #4 M6 --
Characteristic intervals of this chord are the two diminished 5ths and
the diminished 7th. If you notice the construction of the chord, it
consists of two diminished triads sounding together: a dim. triad (b d
f) and a dim. triad (d f !a) Another thing to notice is that Bdim,
Ddim, Fdim and Abdim are all enharmonic chords. Remember the
observations we made about the augmented chords and the major thirds.
We can make similar observations about the diminished sevenths and the
minor triads:
Observations:
b d f !a b~(!!c)
\m3/ \m3/ \m3/ \m3/
There are only 3 scales of this kind. Find them out!
thirds triads
diminished 7th : m3 m3 m3 OR dim dim
half diminished 7th : m3 m3 M3 OR dim min
minor 7th : m3 M3 m3 OR min maj
minor, major 7th : m3 M3 M3 OR min aug
dominant 7th : M3 m3 m3 OR maj dim
major 7th : M3 m3 M3 OR maj min
QUESTION : Are there any augmented sevenths chords?
c e g b d f a c
do mi sol ti re fa la do
If you know this sequence fluently, then you can immediately tell
which notes consist for example the Fmaj7: f a c e, or every other
chord. You must however be able to alter the sequence if needed. For
example F7: f a c !e.
This sequence is also valuable by music-reading. A stuff with the key
of C consists of 5 lines. On these lines fall the notes E,G,B,D,F.
Between these lines fall the notes F,A,C,E.
Ex. G dominant 9th, simply G9 : g b d f a
\M3/ \m3/ \m3/ \M3/
\___p5__/
\_____m7_____/
\________M9_______/
If the added ninth is not a M9, this must be noted with an alteration
sign.
For example:
G7b9 : g b d f !a has a minor ninth (not a diminished!)
G7#9 : g b d f #a has an augmented ninth.
QUESTION : Well, which sevenths do not become ninths by stacking a third upon them?
ANSWER