Dominant 7th chords are commonly used amongst the majors and minors you have been learning.
They are basically a major chord with an extra note added - this is why there is a number next to the name. In fact they are usually only one finger away.
The extra note is usually associated with minor chords and this accounts for its slightly ambiguous sound.
Read on to learn where the ‘dominant’ comes from.
They are often shortened to dom7 or 7 e.g. C dominant 7 = C dom7 = C7.
Here are the note locations as per the video for C7, A7, G7, E7 and D7:
Here are the constituent notes.
C7 = C E G Bb
A7 = A C# E g
G7 = G B D F
E7 = E G# B D
D7 = D F# A C
Notice the major triads plus one new note in each.
If you go to THEORY 1 and scroll down to the Major Scale and its technical names, you’ll see the fifth note of the Major scale is also called the Dominant.
Now look at the Circle of Fifths (also in THEORY 1) and find the G scale. Look at its signature = G A B C D E F#. Notice its 5th is D. Now look at the notes of the D7 chord above = D F# A C. D7’s notes come from the G scale, starting from the 5th note, and the extra note C is seven notes above D in the G scale. Now you know why it is called the Dominant 7th.
Now mix these up with the eight chords from CHORDS 1 & 2 and see which work well together.
In the forthcoming CHORD SCALE lessons, you’ll find out which chords are expected to work together.
