What Is a Seventh Chord?
Add one more third on top of a triad, and you unlock a whole new world of color — welcome to seventh chords.
From triad to seventh chord
A triad stacks two thirds: root, 3rd, 5th. A seventh chord stacks one more, adding a note a third above the 5th — which lands a 7th above the root. Four notes instead of three, and suddenly the chord has much more color and tension to work with.
The four main seventh chord types
| Type | Triad | 7th | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major 7th | Major | Major 7th | 0-4-7-11 |
| Minor 7th | Minor | Minor 7th | 0-3-7-10 |
| Dominant 7th | Major | Minor 7th | 0-4-7-10 |
| Diminished 7th | Diminished | Diminished 7th | 0-3-6-9 |
Common questions
What is a seventh chord?
A four-note chord adding a 7th above the root to a triad — written with a 7, like Cmaj7 or G7.
What are the four main types of seventh chords?
Major 7th, minor 7th, dominant 7th, and diminished 7th, each defined by a different triad and 7th combination.
Why do seventh chords sound richer than triads?
The extra note creates more interval relationships with the other tones, adding color and tension beyond a plain triad.
Are seventh chords only used in jazz?
No — dominant 7ths are everywhere in blues and rock, and major/minor 7ths appear in pop, R&B, soul, and film scoring too.
Play every seventh chord on your instrument
Melody Monkey visualizes chords on a live guitar, bass, ukulele, or piano — in any key, instantly.
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