Seventh Chords

When to read this: after Session 2, “Dominant Sevenths”, “Your First Theory Cards” (10 minutes); after Session 9, “Minor Sevenths” (5 minutes); after Session 10, “Major Sevenths”, “Three Kinds of Seventh Chord” (10 minutes). None of this reading is part of a session’s 50 minutes.

What You’ll Learn

This handout covers three kinds of seventh chord. Each is a chord you already know with one note added.

You read it in three parts, one after each of Sessions 2, 9 and 10. The line at the top of this page names the sections of each part.

“Dominant Sevenths”, “Minor Sevenths”, “Major Sevenths” and “Three Kinds of Seventh Chord” each end with the questions for your theory cards. Every question is printed with its answer, which is the back of the card.

Dominant Sevenths

Session 2 taught you three chords with a 7 after the letter: A7, D7 and E7. This section says what the 7 adds. Three terms first:

• Seventh — The seventh note of a scale counted from the root. A major seventh is one fret below the next root; a minor seventh is two frets below it. (Session 2)

• Dominant seventh chord — A major chord with one more note added, written with a 7 after the letter: A7 is A, C sharp, E and G. The added note is named by counting a whole step down from the root, and in the chord it lies above the lowest root. (Session 2)

• Seventh chord — Any chord with a seventh added. The first kind in this course is the dominant seventh chord. (Session 2)

Said as a rule:

A dominant seventh chord is a major chord with one more note added. Name the added note by counting a whole step (two frets) down from the root; in every shape of this course it lies above the lowest root.

The three chords follow, each under the sentence that says how its shape is made.

A7 is the A chord with finger 2 lifted: fingers 1 and 3 stay where they are, and string 3 now rings open.

A7

XOOO

1

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 2 (B), fret 2
• Strings 5, 3 and 1 are played open
• Do not play string 6
• Strum strings 5 to 1 (five strings)
• Notes, string 5 to string 1: A, E, G, C#, E

Many chord charts finger A7 with fingers 2 and 3. This course uses fingers 1 and 3 because that is your A chord with one finger lifted.

D7 is a new shape, a small triangle: finger 1 on string 2 at fret 1, where it sits in Am and in C, with fingers 2 and 3 at fret 2 on the strings on either side of it.

D7

XXO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 2 (B), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 1 (high e), fret 2
• String 4 (D) is played open
• Do not play strings 6 and 5
• Strum strings 4 to 1 (four strings)
• Notes, string 4 to string 1: D, A, C, F#

E7 is the E chord with finger 3 lifted: fingers 1 and 2 stay where they are, and string 4 now rings open.

E7

OOOO

1

2

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 3 (G), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 5 (A), fret 2
• Strings 6, 4, 2 and 1 are played open
• Strum all six strings
• Notes, string 6 to string 1: E, B, D, G#, B, E

The table names, for each chord, the major chord it is made from, the note added, and the string and fret where that note lies in the shape. Fret 0 is the open string.

Chord	Made from	Note	String	Fret
A7	A	G	3	0
D7	the notes of D with C added	C	2	1
E7	E	D	4	0

Pain rule: tender fingertips are normal. Pain in the wrist, forearm, thumb joint or knuckles, numbness or tingling, any sharp pain, or pain that lasts into the next day means stop. The full rule is in START HERE.

On your guitar. Use no metronome. Do each step three times.

If you play A with fingers 2, 3 and 4, as Beginner Session 8 allows, lift the middle one of the three in step 1.

1. Place A and strum. Lift finger 2 for A7 and strum. Then pluck string 3 alone and say G.
2. Place E and strum. Lift finger 3 for E7 and strum. Then pluck string 4 alone and say D.
3. Place D7. Pluck string 2 alone and say C.

Theory cards: four questions. The answer printed after each is the back of its card.

1. What is a dominant seventh chord, written with a 7 after the letter, made from? Answer: A major chord with one more note added.
2. How is the added note of a dominant seventh chord named from the root? Answer: By counting a whole step (two frets) down from the root.
3. What is the added note of A7, of D7 and of E7? Answer: G in A7, C in D7 and D in E7.
4. Which string does the lifted finger leave ringing in A7, and which in E7? Answer: String 3 in A7 and string 4 in E7.

Your First Theory Cards

How a theory card is written and used is in How To Practise At This Level, the section “Theory Cards”. You read that section today, before this one.

Its rule in one line: a question on the front, the handout’s answer on the back.

Your first cards:

1. Cut or fold four slips of paper.
2. Copy each of the four questions of “Dominant Sevenths” on the front of a slip, and its printed answer, word for word, on the back.
3. Keep the slips together as your pile.
4. Add the cards of every later reading to the same pile.

You draw from the pile at each phase checkpoint and at the end of the course: ten cards each time, and the pass mark is 8 of 10 (exit criterion E20).

The answer on the back is the handout’s own wording, so that you can mark a card right or wrong without judging.

Minor Sevenths

• Minor seventh chord — A minor chord with one more note added, written with m7 after the letter: Am7 is A, C, E and G. The added note is named by counting a whole step down from the root, and in the chord it lies above the lowest root. (Session 9)

A minor seventh chord is a minor chord with one more note added. Name the added note by counting a whole step (two frets) down from the root; in every shape of this course it lies above the lowest root.

Am7 is said “A minor seventh” because it is the minor chord with a seventh added: the note added is two frets below the root, the same distance as in A7.

Em7 is the Em chord with finger 3 lifted: finger 2 stays where it is, and string 4 now rings open.

Em7

OOOOO

2

EADGBe

• Finger 2 (middle): string 5 (A), fret 2
• Strings 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 are played open
• Strum all six strings
• Notes, string 6 to string 1: E, B, D, G, B, E

Am7 is the Am chord with finger 3 lifted: fingers 1 and 2 stay where they are, and string 3 now rings open.

Am7

XOOO

1

2

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 2 (B), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Strings 5, 3 and 1 are played open
• Do not play string 6
• Strum strings 5 to 1 (five strings)
• Notes, string 5 to string 1: A, E, G, C, E

Dm7: this chord is named here and not pressed, and it has no diagram in this handout. It holds a small barre, and its presses belong to the session and to the barre rows of the week’s plan.

Dm7 is the simplified F with finger 3 lifted: the two-string barre and finger 2 stay where they are, and string 4 now rings open.

The table names, for each chord, what it is made from, the note added, and the string and fret where that note lies in the shape. Fret 0 is the open string.

Chord	Made from	Note	String	Fret
Em7	Em	D	4	0
Am7	Am	G	3	0
Dm7	the notes of Dm with C added	C	2	1

On your guitar. Use no metronome. Do each step three times.

1. Place Em and strum. Lift finger 3 for Em7 and strum. Then pluck string 4 alone and say D.
2. Place Am and strum. Lift finger 3 for Am7 and strum. Then pluck string 3 alone and say G.

Theory cards: three questions. The answer printed after each is the back of its card.

1. What is a minor seventh chord made from? Answer: A minor chord with one more note added.
2. What is the added note of Em7 and of Am7? Answer: D in Em7 and G in Am7.
3. How many frets below the root does the added note lie in A7 and in Am7? Answer: Two frets in both.

Major Sevenths

• Major seventh chord — A major chord with one more note added, written with maj7 after the letter: Cmaj7 is C, E, G and B. The added note is named by counting a half step down from the root, and in the chord it lies above the lowest root. (Session 10)

A major seventh chord is a major chord with one more note added. Name the added note by counting a half step (one fret) down from the root; in every shape of this course it lies above the lowest root.

Cmaj7 is the C chord with finger 1 lifted: fingers 2 and 3 stay where they are, and string 2 now rings open.

Cmaj7

XOOO

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 2 (middle): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 5 (A), fret 3
• Strings 3, 2 and 1 are played open
• Do not play string 6
• Strum strings 5 to 1 (five strings)
• Notes, string 5 to string 1: C, E, G, B, E

Amaj7 is the hand shape of D7 moved one string towards the ceiling: finger 2 on string 4 at fret 2, finger 1 on string 3 at fret 1, finger 3 on string 2 at fret 2.

Amaj7

XOO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 3 (G), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 2 (B), fret 2
• Strings 5 and 1 are played open
• Do not play string 6
• Strum strings 5 to 1 (five strings)
• Notes, string 5 to string 1: A, E, G#, C#, E

Dmaj7 is the hand shape of A moved one string towards the floor: fingers 1, 2 and 3 side by side at fret 2 on strings 3, 2 and 1.

Dmaj7

XXO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Finger 2 (middle): string 2 (B), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 1 (high e), fret 2
• String 4 (D) is played open
• Do not play strings 6 and 5
• Strum strings 4 to 1 (four strings)
• Notes, string 4 to string 1: D, A, C#, F#

Use three separate fingers for Dmaj7. Do not lay one finger flat across the three strings: that is a barre, and it is not in your barre minutes for the day.

The table names, for each chord, the major chord it is made from, the note added, and the string and fret where that note lies in the shape. Fret 0 is the open string.

Chord	Made from	Note	String	Fret
Cmaj7	C	B	2	0
Amaj7	the notes of A with G# added	G#	3	1
Dmaj7	the notes of D with C# added	C#	2	2

Pain rule: tender fingertips are normal. Pain in the wrist, forearm, thumb joint or knuckles, numbness or tingling, any sharp pain, or pain that lasts into the next day means stop. The full rule is in START HERE.

On your guitar. Use no metronome. Do each step three times.

1. Place C and strum. Lift finger 1 for Cmaj7 and strum. Then pluck string 2 alone and say B.
2. Place A, then Amaj7. Pluck string 3 alone and say G sharp.
3. Place D, then Dmaj7. Pluck string 2 alone and say C sharp.

Theory cards: three questions. The answer printed after each is the back of its card.

1. How is the added note of a major seventh chord named from the root? Answer: By counting a half step (one fret) down from the root.
2. What is the added note of Cmaj7, of Amaj7 and of Dmaj7? Answer: B in Cmaj7, G# in Amaj7 and C# in Dmaj7.
3. What is a chord with maj7 after its letter called, and what is it made from? Answer: A major seventh chord: a major chord with one more note added.

Three Kinds of Seventh Chord

• Seventh chord (three kinds) — This course has three kinds of seventh chord: dominant seventh, minor seventh and major seventh chords. (Session 10)

The table holds the ten seventh chords you know by Session 10.

Chord	Kind	Made from	Added note	Frets below the root
A7	dominant seventh	a major chord	G	2
D7	dominant seventh	a major chord	C	2
E7	dominant seventh	a major chord	D	2
B7	dominant seventh	a major chord	A	2
Em7	minor seventh	a minor chord	D	2
Am7	minor seventh	a minor chord	G	2
Dm7	minor seventh	a minor chord	C	2
Cmaj7	major seventh	a major chord	B	1
Amaj7	major seventh	a major chord	G#	1
Dmaj7	major seventh	a major chord	C#	1

On the page you tell the three kinds apart by what stands after the letter: a 7 alone, m7, or maj7.

Theory cards: two questions. The answer printed after each is the back of its card.

1. What are the three kinds of seventh chord in this course, and what is one chord of each kind? Answer: Dominant seventh (a 7 alone after the letter, as in A7), minor seventh (m7, as in Am7) and major seventh (maj7, as in Cmaj7).
2. Which kind has its added note one fret below the root? Answer: The major seventh chord.