Major seventh
A chord built from a major triad with a natural seventh above the root, giving a smooth, open, slightly wistful sound.
Because the natural seventh sits a semitone below the octave, it clashes gently with the root and produces that recognisable soft shimmer rather than tension. Major seventh chords are the default colour of jazz ballads, bossa nova and a great deal of smooth pop, and they work particularly well on guitar because several comfortable shapes exist with the seventh on the top string. The same chord written as a triad with an added sixth can produce a very similar sound by a different route.
Example: A chord containing a root, major third, perfect fifth and natural seventh, such as C, E, G and B, is a major seventh.
See also
Related
- PageSeventh chord
- PageChord
- PageInterval
- PageAugmented chord
- PageBlue note
- PageBlues scale
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley