key term - Seventh Chords

Definition

Seventh chords are a type of harmony that consists of four notes: a root, a third, a fifth, and a seventh. They add depth and complexity to music, creating tension and resolution, and are fundamental in the study of voice leading, chord progression, and harmonic function.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Seventh chords can be classified into different types: major seventh, minor seventh, dominant seventh, and half-diminished seventh.
2. The addition of the seventh to triads changes their function; for example, a dominant seventh chord typically resolves to the tonic chord.
3. Voice leading with seventh chords involves smooth transitions between chords by minimizing the movement of individual voices.
4. Inversions of seventh chords can create different harmonic implications and smooth out voice leading in progressions.
5. In terms of diatonic function, predominant seventh chords often lead to dominant seventh chords, which then resolve to tonic chords.

Review Questions

• How do seventh chords enhance the complexity of harmonic progressions in music?
  • Seventh chords enhance harmonic progressions by adding an additional note that creates tension and depth. This tension often leads to stronger resolutions when progressing to tonic chords. For example, the dominant seventh chord creates a powerful pull back to the tonic due to its dissonant interval between the third and seventh. This added complexity enriches musical texture and emotional expression.
• Discuss how voice leading principles apply to the use of seventh chords in music composition.
  • Voice leading principles are crucial when incorporating seventh chords into compositions because they focus on minimizing the movement between individual voices. For instance, when moving from one seventh chord to another, composers often aim to keep common tones and move only the necessary voices by step. This technique not only creates smoother transitions but also preserves harmonic clarity in chord progressions.
• Evaluate the role of predominant seventh chords in establishing tonal relationships within a piece of music.
  • Predominant seventh chords play a vital role in establishing tonal relationships by preparing the listener for upcoming dominant resolutions. They create a sense of movement towards tension that culminates in the dominant chord's strong resolution to the tonic. By analyzing how these chords function within various keys and progressions, musicians can better understand how tonal centers are established and developed throughout a composition.

Related terms

Diatonic Harmony: Harmony that uses only the notes within a given key or scale, forming chords based on the scale degrees.

Inversion:

The rearrangement of the notes in a chord so that the root is not the lowest note, affecting the chord's sound and function.

Functional Harmony: A system that categorizes chords based on their role in a progression, such as tonic, predominant, or dominant.