Minor seventh chord

In music, a minor seventh chord is a seventh chord composed of a root note, a minor third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh (1, 3, 5, 7). In other words, one could think of it as a minor triad with a minor seventh attached to it.

For example, the minor seventh chord built on A, commonly written as A−⁷, has pitches A–C–E–G:

:<score sound>

{ \new Staff \relative c' {

\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f

<a c e g>1

} }

</score>

Minor/minor seventh chord

A seventh chord with a minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh is commonly called a minor seventh chord, but also sometimes a minor/minor seventh chord to distinguish it from the minor/major seventh chord discussed below. It can be represented as either as m⁷ or −⁷, or in integer notation, {0,&nbsp;3,&nbsp;7,&nbsp;10}.

This chord occurs on different scale degrees in different diatonic scales:

• In a major scale, it is on the supertonic, mediant, and submediant degrees (, , and ). This is why the ii in a ii–V–I turnaround is a minor seventh chord (ii⁷).

• In a natural minor scale, it is on the tonic, subdominant, and dominant degrees (, , and ).
• In a harmonic minor scale, it is only on the subdominant degree ().

The major sixth chord (major triad with an added major sixth) is an inversion of this chord.

Minor/major seventh chord

When the seventh note is a major seventh above the root, it is called a minor/major seventh chord. For example, the minor/major seventh chord built on C, commonly written as Cm^M7, has pitches C–E–G–B:

:<score sound>{ \new Staff \relative c' {

\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f

<c es g b>1

} }</score>

Its harmonic function is similar to that of a "normal" minor seventh, as is the minor seven flat five or half-diminished chord &ndash; but in each case, the altered tone (seventh or fifth, respectively) creates a different feeling which is exploited in modulations and to use leading-tones.

Minor seventh as virtual augmented sixth chord

The minor seventh chord may also have its interval of minor seventh (between root and seventh degree, i.e.: C–B in C–E–G–B) rewritten as an augmented sixth C–E–G–A. Rearranging and transposing, this gives A–C–E–F, a virtual minor version of the German augmented sixth chord. Again like the typical augmented sixth, this enharmonic interpretation gives on a resolution irregular for the minor seventh but normal for the augmented sixth chord, where the 2 voices at the enharmonic major second converge to unison or diverge to octave.

Minor seventh chord table

:{| class="wikitable"

!Chord

!Root

!Minor third

!Perfect fifth

!Minor seventh (augmented sixth)

|-

!Cm7

|C

|E

|G

|B (A)

|-

!Cm7

|C

|E

|G

|B (A)

|-

!Dm⁷

|D

|F

|A

|C(B)

|-

!Dm⁷

|D

|F

|A

|C (B)

|-

!Dm⁷

|D

|F

|A

|C (B)

|-

!Em⁷

|E

|G

|B

|D(C)

|-

!Em⁷

|E

|G

|B

|D (C)

|-

!Fm⁷

|F

|A

|C

|E(D)

|-

!Fm⁷

|F

|A

|C

|E (D)

|-

!Gm⁷

|G

|B

|D

|F(E)

|-

!Gm⁷

|G

|B

|D

|F (E)

|-

!Gm⁷

|G

|B

|D

|F (E)

|-

!Am⁷

|A

|C

|E

|G(F)

|-

!Am⁷

|A

|C

|E

|G (F)

|-

!Am⁷

|A

|C

|E

|G (F)

|-

!Bm⁷

|B

|D

|F

|A(G)

|-

!Bm⁷

|B

|D

|F

|A (G)

|-

!Bm⁷

|B

|D

|F

|A (G)

|}

The just minor seventh chord is tuned in the ratios 10:12:15:18. This may be found on iii, vi, and vii. Another tuning may be in the ratios 48:40:32:27.

Minor seventh chords for guitar

In standard tuning, the left is the low E string, the number is the fret, and x means mute the string.

• Am⁷: x02010
• Bm⁷: xx7777
• Cm⁷: xx1313
• Dm⁷: xx0211
• Em⁷: xx0987
• Fm⁷: xx1111
• Gm⁷: xx3333

References

ca:Acord de sèptima#Acord de sèptima menor