Intro to Seventh Chords

Theory9 minScale degrees · how triads are built · seventh chords

Stack one more note on a triad and you get a seventh chord — and your accompaniment instantly takes on a jazzy, folky sophistication.

Video lessons are in production — follow the notes and practice checklist below and you'll learn it just fine.

Stage 6 · Chords & Theory, Deeper8 lessons

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Four common seventh chords

Major 7 maj7 (1-3-5-7): bright and warm, like Cmaj7; dominant 7 (1-3-5-♭7): tense, wanting to resolve, like G7; minor 7 m7 (1-♭3-5-♭7): soft, jazzy, like Dm7, Am7; half-diminished 7 m7♭5 (1-♭3-♭5-♭7): dim and unstable, like Bm7♭5.

Seventh chords in a key have fixed degrees too

The diatonic seventh chords in C: Imaj7=Cmaj7, IIm7=Dm7, IIIm7=Em7, IVmaj7=Fmaj7, V7=G7, VIm7=Am7, VIIm7♭5=Bm7♭5. The pattern is just as fixed as it was for triads — learn one set and you can map it onto any key.

💡 The chord library already has fingerings for seventh chords like Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Am7 and G7.

The fastest way to start using them

Swap a progression you know into seventh chords: the classic jazz loop Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 is smooth and lovely; in folk, turning a dominant chord into its seventh (like G → G7) strengthens that “pull back home” feeling.

Tap “Start” to play along with the beat

Cmaj7Am7Dm7G7

Speed80 BPM

Time

Loop

One bar of count-in first, then the chord changes automatically each bar. Get it smooth slowly, then speed up bit by bit.

Play along with the classic jazz loop Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 and feel that extra layer of soft, flowing “sophistication” a seventh chord has over a plain triad.

Chords in this lesson

Tap the 🔊 under each diagram to match every chord's sound to its shape.

⏱️ Cycle this lesson's chords to a beatPractice switching without stopping (one-minute changes) — first learn each chord by ear and shape, then drill clean changes between them.Expand

Switch back and forth between this lesson's chords to the beat below.

Tap “Start” to play along with the beat

Cmaj7Dm7Em7Am7G7

Speed80 BPM

Time

Loop

One bar of count-in first, then the chord changes automatically each bar. Get it smooth slowly, then speed up bit by bit.

Want to count how many changes you can do in 60 seconds? Head to the one-minute changes drill.

Go play these

Songs that fit this lesson's technique and chords — pick one and practice in the library:

See all songs →

Open the chord libraryFilter for “seventh chords” to see more fingerings.→

Practice checklist

Play through the jazz loop Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7.
Take a dominant chord in a song you know and swap it for its seventh — listen to the difference.