The Ultimate Guide to 7th Chords (and Beyond)

Though present in popular music today and certainly present in jazz, it took the musical world a bit of time to warm up to the idea of 7th chords. If you look hard enough, you can find examples of incidental 7th chords as far back as Renaissance music. 

But, generally, 7th chords were too dissonant to use for more than just a passing moment. It would take a few centuries before our ears could embrace the dissonance of a B7#5 chord lasting for several bars of music, like in Wayne Shorter’s Juju.

Today, 7th chords are the basic building blocks of jazz harmony. To speak the language of jazz and perform jazz with other musicians, you’ll need to understand how 7th chords work, how you can play them (or over them), and how to comprehend them on a chord chart.

This guide will give you everything you need to know to understand 7th chords in theory and on the stage.

You’ll learn—

• The 7th chord formula
• The basic types of 7th chords most commonly found in jazz
• Unique sounding, rarer 7th chord qualities
• What chord extensions are and how to use them
• Actionable tips for reading chord charts in the moment
• Plus, some essential listening recommendations!

Let’s start with the basics—understanding the 7th chord formula. 

Triad + the 7th: Understanding the 7th Chord Formula

You learn about triads fairly early on in your musical education. Triads are the harmonic building blocks in Western music, and they are constructed by stacking thirds using scales. Using the C major scale as an example, a C major triad would be spelled C-E-G.

Though 7th chords definitely have their place in popular music today, most popular music is still based on triads. 

Seventh chords are built on the same principle. However, the defining difference between triads and 7th chords is that 7th chords have an additional note added to the mix—we stack another third on top of the 5th.

In the case of a C triad, we add one more 3rd to the sequence to get a Cmaj7 chord:

You can think of the 7th chord formula as [R + 3  +  5  +  7] or, in this case, [C + E + G + B].

That’s it. It’s fairly simple. 

We’ll use this formula to build all five basic types of 7th chords in jazz harmony.  

What Are The Five Basic Types of 7th Chords Found In Jazz Harmony?

A chord’s quality is defined as its component intervals’ relationship to the chord’s root. For example, if C is your root and you have an Eb and a G, the resulting quality of the triad is minor. It’s a C- triad, and here are its component intervals:

• Root (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)

This principle applies to seventh chords as well. The component intervals of a seventh chord determine the quality of the 7th chord—or what kind of 7th chord it is. 

First, we’ll look at the five basic types of 7th chords—

• The Major Seventh Chord
• The Dominant seventh Chord
• The Minor Seventh Chord
• The Half-Diminished Seventh Chord
• The Fully-Diminished Seventh Chord

The Major Seventh Chord (and Major 6th Chord)

We’ve already introduced the C major seventh chord above. This seventh chord diatonically functions as the (I) or the (IV) chord in the key of C major. Add a major 7th to the basic three-note C major chord to get a Cmaj7 chord. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Major 7th (B) or (7)

The Major 6 Chord

Major 6th chords were used much more frequently in earlier styles of jazz. Think of the classic jazz standard All of Me by Gerard Marks and Seymour Simon. Instead of starting on a major triad or a maj7 chord, the song begins on a maj6 chord. It functions as a tonic chord or a (I) chord.

To build it, you take a major triad and add a major 6th from the root or a major 2nd from the 5th:

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Major 6th (A) or (6)

Strict practitioners of music theory might argue that this shouldn’t have a category of its own because it’s technically a minor 7th chord in first inversion, but this is jazz. We have artistic license to bend and adapt the rules at our convenience! 

It’s worth including it here because you’ll definitely encounter it if you haven’t already.

The Dominant 7th Chord

The dominant chord is widely used in jazz. Diatonically, it functions as the (V) chord in major keys, but you’ll find this type of seventh chord all over jazz—especially in the blues. 

You build a basic dominant chord by taking a major triad and adding an extra note: the minor seventh from the root or a minor 3rd from the 5th—

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)

Usually, it’s used as a secondary dominant to lead to other diatonic chords in major and minor keys. It’s also used to change keys in jazz chord progressions. The basic jazz blues is made entirely of dominant chords. Check out our blog post on 4 blues progressions you need to know.

A few examples of these secondary dominants include—

• the dominant (II7) chord (Bb7) in Donna Lee
• the dominant (VI7) chord (F7) used in Donna Lee
• the dominant (I7) chord (Ab7) used in Donna Lee to take us to the (IV) chord
• the dominant (III7) chord (E7) used in All of Me, to use an example from above

Check out our podcast episode on understanding secondary and backdoor dominant chords to learn more about how these dominant chords work.

The Minor 7th Chord

The minor 7th chord functions as the (ii7), the (iii7), and the (vi7) chords in major keys. There are also entire modal tunes composed using only minor 7th chords. Perhaps the most famous example is John Coltrane’s Impressions, but many more are worth checking out. Here are four more modal tunes you should add to your repertoire. 

You build a minor seventh chord by taking a minor triad and adding a minor seventh interval from the root or a minor third interval from the 5th. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)

The Minor 6 Chord

Yes, it’s also an A-7(b5) in first inversion, but the minor 6 chord deserves to have its own dedicated section. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Major 6th (A) or (6)

This chord is the backbone of many amazing jazz tunes that use minor keys. 

• Round Midnight by Thelonius Monk
• Summertime by George Gershwin
• Minority by Gigi Gryce
• Alone Together by Arthur Schwartz  

The Half-Diminished Seventh Chord

The minor 7(b5) chord, or half-diminished seventh chord, functions as the (viiø7) chord in major keys and is often used as the (iiø7) chord in a minor [iiø7 – V7 – i-7] progression. This works nicely because the b5 of the ii chords becomes a b9 on the (V7) chord before resolving to the 5th of the (i-7).

You build a minor 7(b5) chord by taking a diminished triad and stacking a minor 7th interval from the root or a major 3rd interval from the (b5).

• Root (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Diminished 5th (Gb) or (b5)
• Minor 7th (Bb)

The Fully-Diminished Seventh Chord

A fully diminished seventh chord is a non-diatonic chord and doesn’t exist in the major key. However, it is the leading tone 7th chord in the harmonic minor scale. The fully diminished seventh chord is used as a passing chord in jazz comping or as a substitute for a (VI7) chord.

The first two bars of Rhythm Changes are sometimes played like a [Imaj7 – VI7 – ii7 -V7]:

However, a chord player can substitute that dominant (VI7) chord for a (bii°7) chord. This chord is a half step up from the tonic and has the same guide tones as the (VI7) chord but gives the progression a chromatic sound as it moves to the (ii7) chord in the second bar.   

You build a fully diminished seventh chord by taking a diminished triad and adding a diminished seventh interval from the root or a minor 3rd interval from the (b5). 

• Root (C) or (1) 
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Diminished 5th (Gb) or (b5)
• Diminished 7th (Bbb… that’s a double flat) or (bb7) 

Less Common Seventh Chord Qualities

The seventh chords listed above are the five most commonly encountered seventh chord qualities in jazz, but plenty of other variations are used by jazz composers and improvers. Before we dig into the world of chord extensions, let’s quickly explore three less commonly used seventh chords.

Minor(Maj7) Chords

The major-minor seventh chord is built by taking a minor triad and adding a major seventh interval from the root or a major 3rd interval from the 5th. 

• Rt. (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Major 7th (B) or (7)

You’ll often find minor chords with a major seventh in tunes that use a compositional device called the “wandering 7th.”

The jazz standard Blue Skies by Irving Berlinused this type of compositional device where the minor chord starts with a basic minor triad, and the next chord is a minor(maj7) chord, then a regular minor seventh chord, and finally a minor 6th chord. One of the voices in the chord moves downward chromatically and sometimes wanders back up—hence the name wandering 7th.

Augmented Major 7 Chords

The augmented-major seventh chord is an augmented triad (major triad with a sharp 5th) and a major 7th.  

• Root note (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Augmented 5th (G#) or (#5)
• Major 7th (B) or (7)

This chord is unique and, when used appropriately, adds a beautiful and mysterious quality to music. Check out Wayne Shorter’s tune Iris for a great example of this chord in action.

Dominant Sus4 Chords

The dominant sus4 chord is a dominant chord that replaces the 3rd with the 4th. Instead of being spelled [R – 3 – 5 – b7], it gets spelled [R – 4 – 5 – b7]. This chord is ambiguous because its quality isn’t really major or minor—it’s somewhere else. 

• Rt. (C) or (1)
• Perfect 4th (F) or (4)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)

Jazz composers use this chord to infuse their compositions with a floating sense of ambiguity. Fall, another Wayne Shorter tune, makes great use of this chord quality.

Chord Extensions Past the 7th (adding the 9th, 11th, and 13th)

So that explains most seventh chords within the octave, but you’ve also probably encountered chords that have a (b9), (#9), (#11), or (b13) in their spelling. At first, this probably looks quite confusing, but there is a logic to it. 

Here is the basic idea behind chord extensions:

For notes beyond the octave, we simply keep counting. When we stack thirds into the next octave, we get the notes of the major scale not expressed in the first octave—the 2nd, the 4th, and the 6th.  

Major and minor 6 chords and the occasional sus2 or sus4 chord aside, we refer to the 2nd, the 4th, and the 6th by their distance away from the root in the first octave. What we get looks like this:

• Major 2nd + 7 = 9th
• Perfect 4th + 7 = 11th
• Perfect 6th + 7 = 13th

Musicians will often alter these extensions to either better fit the harmony of the moment or to create unique-sounding pitch environments to play over.

You’ll see—

• (b9), (9), and (#9)
• (11) and (#11)
• (13 and (b13)

In traditional theory, every extension you add could contain the lower extension. 11th chords can include the 9th, and 13th chords will include the 11th and the 9th. However, in practice, this doesn’t happen regularly. For example, a guitarist doesn’t have enough fingers or individual strings to build some of these chords.

These extensions can be applied to any seventh chord quality: major seventh chords, minor seventh chords, dominant chords, and half-diminished seventh chords. However, in practice, the following chords are the most common. 

Major Seventh Chord Extensions

Major 9th Chords

You construct major 9 chords by taking major seventh chords and adding the 9th above the root, or a minor third above the 7th.

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Major 7th (B) or (7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9) 

Major 7(#11) Chords

Major 7(#11) chords are built by taking a major 9th chord and adding a sharp 11th from the root or a major 3rd interval from the 9th. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Major 7th (B) or (7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9)
• Sharp 11th (F#) or (#11) 

Major 13 Chords

When the 6th of the chord is in the 2nd octave, we call it a major 13 chord. Note that this chord doesn’t contain the 11th because it would clash with the 3rd in the lower octave. You build this chord by taking a major 9 chord and adding a 13th from the root or a 5th from the 9th. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Major 7th (B) or (7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9)
• Major 13th (A) or (13) 

Dominant 7th Chord Extensions

Dominant 7 (b9) Chords

The dominant 7 (b9) chord is built by taking a dominant 7th chord and adding a b9 above the root or stacking a minor 3rd onto the minor 7th interval. The relationship between the root and the b9 creates a distinct dissonance that makes this a powerful chord. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Minor 9th (Db) or (b9)  

You can use dominant 7th chords like these when you see a 7(b9) or a 7alt chord symbol.

Dominant 9 Chords

The dominant 9 chord is built by stacking an unaltered 9th on top of a dominant seventh chord or stacking a major 3rd on top of the minor 7th interval. You’ll hear this and other seventh chords all over blues music.

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9) 

Dominant 7 (#9) Chords

Rock musicians sometimes refer to this chord as the Jimmy Hendrix chord, but it is also widely used in funk, jazz, and other genres. The dissonance between the major third in the first octave and the #9 (minor third) in the second octave creates a distinct clash that makes this chord fun to sit on.

You build this chord by adding a sharp 9th to a dominant seventh chord or by adding a 4th above the 7th scale degree.

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Raised 9th (D#) or (#9)

You can use this chord when you see a 7(#9) or a 7alt chord symbol.

Dominant 7 (#11) Chords

The Dominant 7(#11) is Thelonius Monk’s favorite chord. It’s written into so many of his compositions… 

• Monk’s Dream
• Monks Mood
• Pannonica
• Reflections
• Round Midnight

… to name a few.

You build this chord by taking a dominant 9 chord and adding a sharp 11 interval to the top. You can also think of it like stacking a major 3rd onto the 9th. 

You’ll occasionally see this chord written as a Dominant (b5) chord. For example, a C7#11 can also be written as a C7b5.

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9) 
• Augmented 11th (F#) or (#11)

You can use this chord when you see a 7(#11) or a 7alt chord symbol.

Dominant 7 (b13) Chords

You get a dominant 7(b13) chord when you take a dominant 9 chord and add a (b13) interval from the root or a (b5) interval from the 9th. Occasionally, this chord is spelled with a (#5) instead of a (b13). For example, C7b13 can also be spelled like C7#5.

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9) 
• Minor 13th (Ab) or (b13)

You can use this chord when you see a 7(b13) or a 7alt chord symbol.

Alt Chords

The last dominant chord we’ll mention today is the altered dominant seventh chord. It’s kind of a catch-all dominant chord (except for the natural 9th and 13th). When you see this chord, you can assume that any and all crunchy tones are acceptable—the (b9), the (#9), the (#11), and the (b13) are all fair game. 

You construct this chord by taking a dominant seventh chord, and you add the (b9), the (#9), the (#11), and the (b13).

• Root (C) or (1)
• Major 3rd (E) or (3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Minor 9th (Db) or (b9) 
• Raised 9th (D#) or (#9)
• Augmented 11th (F#) or (#11)
• Minor 13th (Ab) or (b13)   

Minor 7th Chord Extensions

Minor 9 Chords

The minor 9 chord is constructed by taking a minor 7th chord and adding a 9 from the root or by stacking a major third from the 7th. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9)

Minor 11 Chords

Minor 11 chords are constructed by taking a minor 9 chord and adding an 11th from the root or by stacking a minor third on top of the 9.

• Root (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9)
• Perfect 11th (F) or (11)

These chords are useful for adding a suspended sound to your minor chords. You have the minor third in the first octave and a perfect 11th in the second octave. The major 9th interval between the 3rd and 11th of the chord creates an open sound. 

Check our Wayne Shorter’s Footprints for a great example of this chord in action.

Minor 13 Chords

Similar to the minor 6th chord, the minor 13th incorporates the 6th scale degree in the second octave. You build this chord by taking a minor 11th chord and adding a 13th above the root, or a major 3rd above the 11th. 

• Root (C) or (1)
• Minor 3rd (Eb) or (b3)
• Perfect 5th (G) or (5)
• Minor 7th (Bb) or (b7)
• Major 9th (D) or (9)
• Perfect 11th (F) or (11)
• Major 13th (A) or (13)

Pro Tips For Reading Chord Charts

We’ve covered practically every 7th chord and extension combination you can encounter! Take a second and soak that all in—it’s certainly a lot of information. 

All memorized? Great!

So, where do we go from here?

It’s one thing to know how 7th chords and their extensions function, but it’s another thing to use this information to create music in the moment. Believe it or not, memorization is the easy part. 

Artfully creating music with this information is the true goal of aspiring jazz musicians. Music isn’t really on the page, after all. So, how can you practice all these 7th chords? How do you approach them in the wild? When reading a chart on a gig? Or in the studio?

Here are a few tips for reading chord charts—

Know All the Chord Symbol Variations

The jazz tradition came about organically as the classical music traditions of Western music blended with Black folk music and blues in America’s big cities in the late 19th and early 20th century. 

Because of this organic tradition, there wasn’t a set doctrine of how to talk about and communicate musical ideas. As a result, there are many ways to spell a single chord. Though today, chord symbols are relatively standardized, there are still variations you should be aware of.

Big “M” for Major Small “m” For Minor

CM7, a variation for Cmaj7, could easily be confused for a Cm7, which indicates a C minor 7th chord. 

• CM6 vs Cm6
• CM7 vs Cm7
• CM9 vs Cm9

Maj and Min versus  – and △?

Occasionally you’ll see Seventh chords written with these variations: 

• Cmaj7 or C△7
• Cmin7 or C-7

Half-diminished or -7(b5)?

You see both ø and m7(b5) for the half-diminished seventh chord.

• Cø
• C-7b5
• Cm7(b5)
• Cmin7(b5)

Dim or °?

You’ll see diminished chords written as Cdim or C°.

It’s important to know all the different ways chords can appear. Otherwise, you may experience some uncomfortable moments on the gig! 

Keep It Simple—You Don’t Need to Hit Every Extention (especially on altered chords)

Whether or not you are a chordal player, you may panic a bit when you come face to face with a Db7(b9#11#5) chord on a really fast tune. But remember, those are harmonic suggestions. You just need the basics. 

Whether you are improvising or comping, you can definitely get by on this change with a simple Db triad. You don’t have to overthink it.  

Want To Master Seventh Chords and Improve Your Knowledge of Jazz Harmony?

However, if your goal is to play crazy lines over complex changes or chord solo like Kurt Rosenwinkel, you should check out LJS Inner Circle.

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