Seventh chord

A seventh chord, also Terzquintseptakkord or seventh chord is a seventh chord: the triad, which consists of the root, third and fifth, the seventh shall be additional. Seventh chords in traditional harmony were to be dissonant and resolution to. Only in the 19th century, the seventh has gradually evolved into a type of chord that is no longer necessarily required a resolution. In the jazz harmonies of the seventh chord in all its forms plays a central role and solves the triad as a harmonious " base material " from.

Education and types of seventh chords

Seventh chords caused by layering of three thirds over a given root, or consist of root, third, fifth and Septim. They normally consist of the clay material of the underlying scale.

The types of seventh chords differ in their interval structure. The following table lists the names of the various seventh chords, which triads underlie them, which Septime is added as they are made an example of sound c of how they are listed as chord symbols and at what stages of the following scales they occur: major, natural / Aeolian minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor upward (downward is the melodic minor with the natural identical):

* Also: "Major Seven"

Inversions of seventh chords

Seventh chords may occur in the initial position and in three inversions:

• Basic position - seventh chord
• 1st inversion - five chord
• 2nd inversion - Terzquartakkord
• Third inversion - Sekundakkord

The chord names are from the basso continuo and are derived from the interval stratification above the lowest chord tone forth.

Characteristics and resolution of dominant seventh chords matic

Dominant

Function

The dominant seventh chord is almost always heard and interpreted ( mainly because of the tendency of his strut leading notes ) as dominant. Only in very exceptional cases, it may also appear in other function, such as when he (as conductor own chord ) occurs at the IV stage of the ascending melodic minor scale in subdominantischer function.

Resolution

Upon dissolution of the dominant- two tones have a clear trend.

The Terzton the dominant-seventh is also the leading tone ( VII degree of the scale ) and ascending ( small seconds ) dissolved in the keynote stage I ( tonic).

The Septton the dominant seventh is obtained as a sliding- ( in E flat is a small, in a minor key to a major second ) in the Terzton the tonic.

If moves downward in four -part harmony of tone in the bass to up a fourth or a fifth to that of the tonic remains only the Quintton. This usually falls to the root of the tonic ( or he rises to Terzton the tonic ). Thus, the resolution of a complete dominant- in four -part harmony gives an incomplete tonic triad in which the Quintton missing. The root is tripled or root and Terzton are doubled since the fifth either fall within the root or may get in the Terzton.

In a so-called incomplete dominant seventh of the root is doubled and it lacks the least characteristic sound which Quintton. ( The Terzton is crucial for the major-minor characteristics that Septton makes the seventh until the seventh. Absence of the perfect fifth, however, the ear is hardly noticeable ). This dissolves in four -part harmony in a complete triad with root doubled to.

Special forms

Another form is the condensed dominant, in which the root is omitted. This chord is structurally not a seventh chord, but a diminished triad VII level. His Leittonspannung ( due to the presence tritone ) and leave it in dominant genetic function appear ( on behalf of the dominant seventh chord ). In the strict four -part harmony it is almost always used as a sixth chord, ie the third or the fifth (counting from no longer existing root) is in the bass and is doubled. To double one of the two other sounds, is ruled out because it is leading tones whose record technically correct treatment would lead to primary or parallel octaves.

Half Diminished seventh chord

The half- diminished seventh chord is intrinsically manager in the major at the VII level and in (natural and harmomisch ) minor prior to stage II. He also appears in the ascending melodic minor scale on the VI. and VII level.

• In major, he is seen by the theory of functions as a condensed around his keynote Dominantseptnonakkord V. degree and as such has dominant function tables.

• The half- diminished seventh chord on the second degree of the natural and harmonic minor has subdominant function, since its Tonvorrat - albeit in a different order - coincides with the set up on the subdominant sixte - ajoutée chord. He is often found as part of the II -VI compound in a minor key, in jazz.

• In the melodic minor (up) results in the slightly paradoxical situation that the seventh chord on the VI. Stage, although structurally a condensed around his keynote Dominantseptnonakkord is, however, its function is that of a subdominant because of stage IV as the root of the full chord. On the other hand is not a problem, the functional interpretation of the seventh chord at the VII level as abridged Dominantnonakord that here - in contrast to earlier - actually occurs in dominant genetic function.

Diminished seventh chord

The diminished seventh chord consists of a diminished triad with a diminished seventh. Since all intervals between adjacent tones are minor thirds, he is a so-called Isointervallakkord. This chord can also be seen as a condensed around his keynote Dominantseptnonakkord and therefore dominant function tables. He appears as head of its own accord on the stage VII of the harmonic minor scale.

Resolution of the diminished seventh chord The diminished seventh chord severe tensions act because of its interval quality. The frame interval (decreased Septim ) tends with two tones inside, as are the two diminished fifths. This results in a resolution that takes into account in its voice leading all Inter voltages, the doubling of the Terztones the target triad.

Ambiguity of the diminished seventh chord

Rheinberger refers to the diminished seventh chord as the " chameleon of harmony ". He is absolutely symmetrical in themselves and their reversals are indistinguishable from its basic position on the structure and sound of her at gleichstufiger mood. This allows any sound (possibly after appropriate enharmonic confusion ) be construed as a leading tone, so that there are four tonally different resolution options that chord.

Since Monteverdi he is used in the dramatic music as an expression of the emotions of fear, surprise, pain, death, etc.. Because of the doubly contained tritone, which was as Diabolus in musica a devil symbol often used, the diminished seventh chord is also particularly suitable for the representation of the uncanny and demonic (example: Samiel motif in Weber's Der Freischütz ).

In Impressionism he loses (how many chords ) its functional significance harmonious and often as chord tones chromatic progressions ( parallel guides ) is used. Chance of chromatic progressions of the diminished seventh chord much earlier (for example in Bach's Chromatic Fantasy BWV 903), but have also been used.

Tonsymbolik

The original ( as in the Baroque) important symbolic significance of the four sounds (such as the diminished seventh chord as an expression of terror, devilish, Dämomischen ) fell by frequent use into oblivion and was almost lost since the late Romantic period.