Dominant seventh chord and its inversions: structure, resolution

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 12:36

Harmony is one of the most complex sciences in music. Nevertheless, its elements begin to be studied at an early stage of a musician's professional education - at a music school as part of solfeggio lessons. Those who receive education in a specialized secondary or higher educational institution get acquainted with science in more detail. The knowledge of pupils of the Children's Art School and Children's Music School is more often limited to triads, the dominant seventh chord and their inversions. Introductory and second seventh chords are also passed. What is a dominant seventh chord?

Chords, their classification

A chord (classical structure) is a consonance consisting of more than three sounds, which are arranged in thirds.

If there are 3 sounds in a chord, then it is called a triad, in this case the chord can have 2 inversions - a sixth chord and a quarter-sixth chord.

If there are 4 sounds in a chord, then it is called a seventh chord. Appeals at the seventh chord 3. To understand what it depends on, you needknow what a conversion is. Most often in a music school they teach that this is the transfer of the lower sound of a chord up an octave. Such a definition is not entirely accurate, because is a way to get the inversion of a chord. The correct definition would be the following option: inversion is a kind of chord where the base is any tone, except for the prima.

To understand the whole volume, you should also know how the sounds of the chords are called. The lower sound is the prima (or root tone), the second is the third, the third is the fifth, and the last, fourth is the seventh.

Reversals of any seventh chord are called: quintsextachord (in bass - third), thirdquat (in bass - fifth), second chord (built on seventh).

Depending on the structure, there are 7 types of seventh chords: small major, small minor, small decreased, decreased, large major, large minor, large increased. The names are determined by the interval that forms the extreme sounds: small, diminished or major sevenths - and the triad, which is built from the main tone: major, minor, increased or decreased.

What is a dominant seventh chord?

Dominant seventh chord and key

Dominant seventh chord - a small major seventh chord, which is built on the V degree of the fret. Designated D_7.

Due to its location, the chord acquires a dominant function - a value in harmony (there are 3 functions: tonic, subdominant, dominant) and the structure corresponding to the minor major seventh chord. The chord includes the following steps: V, VII, II, IV. As you know, at the fifth degree of major andharmonic minor, a major triad (dominant) is built, and between the V and IV steps of the mode, an interval of a small seventh is formed. Otherwise - structure D_{7: b3+m3+m3.}

The dominant seventh chord and its inversions and resolutions take on an important role in the key. This is one of the more unstable chords with a rather bright gravitation towards the tonic. When modulating (transitioning to a new key), it is most convenient to use the dominant seventh chord in cadences (final turns) for greater stability of the tonic.

Reversals of seventh chord dominants in all keys, their resolutions

Like any seventh chord, the dominant has 3 inversions:

Case title	Designation	Step on which to build	Building	Permission
Dominant Quintsextachord	D65	VII	Um53+b2 m3+m3+b2	T53 (double 1)
Dominant third quarter chord	D43	II	m3+b2+b3	T53 (fl)
Dominant second chord	D2	IV	b2+B53 b2+b3+m3	T6 (double 1)

T⁵₃ - tonic triad, T_{6 - tonic sixth chord. udv.1 - doubling the prima in a triad or sixth chord. Let's see how it looks in keys.}

Construction examplesdominant of the seventh chord and its inversions in major sharp keys.

Examples of construction in major flat keys.

Examples of building dominants of the seventh chord and its inversions in minor sharp keys.

Examples of construction in minor flat keys.

Special types of seventh chord dominants, other resolution options

It's interesting that the dominant seventh chord can be resolved not only into a tonic triad, but also into a VI degree triad. In major, it will be minor, and in minor, it will be major. Such a revolution is called interrupted.

Also, the dominant seventh chord can be with a sixth - in this case, instead of a fifth (II degree of the mode), a sixth (III degree of the mode) appears, more often in the upper voice. The turnover with such a chord sounds especially expressive in a minor, because. D7 includes a consonance that is enharmonic equal to an augmented triad.

In major, an altered dominant seventh chord with a reduced or increased fifth is possible, and in a minor - only with a reduced one. In this case, the chord acquires a tense sound character.

The dominant seventh chord and its inversions play an important role in music. Therefore, you should have a good understanding of its structure, resolution and not be lazy to sing it in solfeggio lessons.