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  • Beginners Guitar - Intro to 7th Chords using a practical example

Hiya GFSA'ers,

This was 'inspired' by a awful column I saw published on ultimate-guitar over the weekend. After critizing I challenged myself to do better and write something that reflected the way I would have liked to be introduced to the topic. I was hesitant to 'publish' it on GFSA because the skill/knowledge level here is (imho) very high compared to ultimate guitar (the youtube of guitar sites ?) - but your feedback and comments are valued!

Disclaimer : I'm aiming this at the beginner who just wants to learn a few chords (In this case 7th's) to add flavour to their playing - There is a solid theoretical reasoning why, in Example 5, I am using the chord flavours that I do - For this we'd discuss 'Chord Movements within the Major Scale' - Which is pretty damn useful theory knowledge IF you want to know -theoretically- WHEN to use a certain flavour of chord. Otherwise, trust your ears and experiment a LOT.

mp3 examples (4.1mb zip file) are available here : https://www.box.com/s/llqq0aib1tqzzd203g4p

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Through this -ahem- 'lesson' I'm going to refer to the following practical example using four chords : C - A - D - G. (Progression is in the Key of C)

CMaj AMaj DMaj GMaj
e|----3----5----5----3----|
B|----5----5----7----3----|
G|----5----6----7----4----|
D|----5----7----7----5----|
A|----3----7----5----5----|
E|----X----5----X----3----|

If you need fingerings of the various shapes please use a chord dictionary/chart (E.g. http://chordfind.com/). I also have not gone into inversions (variations).

As we go along we'll 'flavour' these basic major chords using Major7th, Minor7th and Dominant7th chords so our ears can get a feel for the sound.

Example 1. Play the example using only the major chords detailed above. Sounds kinda 'pop'? Crank up some overdrive, add some strumming patterns and you could go into punk-ish/indie rock?

Example 2.
Let's start with a Dominant 7th chord. These are commonly used in Blues progressions, occasionally used in Jazz, Flamenco, Pop, etc... as well. Typically referred to as 7th's, they are not to confused with a Major7th - they sound completely different (imho).

Ok, Substitute all four major chords with (Dominant)7th chords : C7, A7, D7, G7. From a standard major chord fingering, you'll only have to lift a finger for each chord to make it a Dominant 7th. In the last example I'll show a slightly different version of a Dominant 7th chord.

C7 A7 D7 G7
e|----3----5----5----3----|
B|----5----5----7----3----|
G|----3----6----5----4----|
D|----5----5----7----3----|
A|----3----7----5----5----|
E|----X----5----X----3----|

Now sounding a bit bluesy? That's the 7th note within the chord.

Example 3.
Let's dig into the Minor7th now.

Substitute all four Dominant7th chords with Minor7th chords : Cm7, Am7, Dm7, Gm7. I personally enjoy throwing the odd minor chord into a progression, especially a Minor7th for contrast.

--edit (Thanks chrisbark) Incorrect notation, Should be minor7th chords

C7 A7 D7 G7
Cmin7 Amin7 DMin7 GMin7
e|----3-----5------5------3-----|
B|----4-----5------6------3-----|
G|----3-----5------5------3-----|
D|----5-----5------7------3-----|
A|----3-----7------5------5-----|
E|----X-----5------X------3-----|

Ok, sounding a bit soulful maybe? Although now, the last chord (Gm7) sounds odd to me in this particular progression.

Example 4. Right, onto the Major7th chords.

Substitute all four chords with Major7th chords : CMaj7, AMaj7, DMaj7, GMaj7. I don't often use a Major7th - except where Dominant7th or Minor7th just doesn't sound right and a Major chord isn't interesting enough.

The fingering is similar to a Dominant7th, except you are adding a note (finger) back to the shape.

CMaj7 AMaj7 DMaj7 GMaj7
e|----3-----5-----5-----3----|
B|----5-----5-----7-----3----|
G|----4-----4-----6-----4----|
D|----5-----4-----7-----4----|
A|----3-----7-----5-----5----|
E|----X-----5-----X-----3----|

This sounds jazzy to me, although the AMaj7 sounds out of place now?

Example 5. Putting it all together.

This is something I use to remind me of the different flavours of 7th chord and demo it to friends who'd like something simple to play : CMaj7, AMin7, Dmin7, G7 (extended with a extra 7th note on the B string)

CMaj7 AMin7 Dmin7 G7
e|----3-----5-----5-----3----|
B|----5-----5-----6-----6----|
G|----4-----5-----5-----4----|
D|----5-----5-----7-----3----|
A|----3-----7-----5-----5----|
E|----X-----5-----X-----3----|

To my ears, all the chords sound like they belong in a chilled jazz-ish progression and nothing sounds particularly 'out'. There is a solid theory reasoning for this, but more importantly my ears like it. (And that is because it follows the basic 'guidelines' of Chord Movements in the Major Key - In this case we are in the Key of C).

Rainy days - Just a quick demo of a possible use of this progression. (And I feel very rusty playing it!)

A few humble opinions:


1. Knowing a lot of chords and scales is useful, but not critical. Your ears are as useful as theory and practising your theory using practical examples is (imho) the key.
2. Listen to something that inspires you. Use your ears, figure it out. Practice with a metronome (or drum loop) and don't rush.
3. Using fragments (partial voicings) of chords is common. Once you know a shape experiment with playing two/three note pieces of the chord. (Two or more notes played together consitutes a chord)
4. A fretboard is not a intuitive place (unlike a keyboard) - you'll have to know where the notes are - so theory can be useful (E.g. chord shapes and scales).
5. Inversions (variations) of chords are cool. They are differing ways of fingering the notes that make up chords. E.g. You can play a variety of Dominant 7 chord shapes around the fretboard that all sound slightly different because the guitar IS NOT a keyboard - strings differ in gauge (thickness) and deliver a different sound (E.g. a open string vs fretted string, a wound bass string vs a plain treble string).







    Cool lesson bud. I personally very rarely bother with playing 7th or Maj7 chords cos to my ears they sound like they belong in the 50's fa-la-la-la-la era, but still, very useful info you posted.
      Arno West wrote: Cool lesson bud. I personally very rarely bother with playing 7th or Maj7 chords cos to my ears they sound like they belong in the 50's fa-la-la-la-la era, but still, very useful info you posted.
      Arno, you may be using 7th's without even realising it ...? These are so useful and they're employed in most "genre"....from blues to jazz to soul to rock to country to ...Very useful sometimes as a bridge between, say G and C, by playing the G7 then resolve into C...or maybe A, A7 to D...etc
        Arno West wrote: Cool lesson bud. I personally very rarely bother with playing 7th or Maj7 chords cos to my ears they sound like they belong in the 50's fa-la-la-la-la era, but still, very useful info you posted.
        Thanks Arno, appreciate it.

        When I was taught this many moons ago, I didn't appreciate the difference between a (Dom)7th and a Major7th and often got confused - this is really really for the beginners - That being said, I find plenty use for 7th's and Min7th's but seldom think of using a Maj7th, although now I'm beginning to appreciate the sound after writing it all down.

          V8 wrote:
          Arno West wrote: Cool lesson bud. I personally very rarely bother with playing 7th or Maj7 chords cos to my ears they sound like they belong in the 50's fa-la-la-la-la era, but still, very useful info you posted.
          Thanks Arno, appreciate it.

          When I was taught this many moons ago, I didn't appreciate the difference between a (Dom)7th and a Major7th and often got confused - this is really really for the beginners - That being said, I find plenty use for 7th's and Min7th's but seldom think of using a Maj7th, although now I'm beginning to appreciate the sound after writing it all down.

          The different 7ths have completely different feels to them, as your tutorial nicely pointed out. I don't think the 50's would have had much appetite for Maj7 and even less so for Maj/Min7 (an awesome chord if you asked me). I don't use all of the various 7ths nearly as much as a I should. However, I use the dominant 7th almost always. When I'm in C major for instance, my left hand sort of defaults to G7 (as opposed to G) and sometimes I have to consciously stop myself from playing a G7, and rather play G, when I'm not resolving to C or Am.
            Dominant 7ths take your major chords and make 'em dirty. Just as it should be.

            Always had a sweet spot ('scuse the pun) for major sevenths.
              Well i guess your use of 7th's depends on what genre you play

              but i can't imagine music restricted to just major or minor triads , for us jazz players every tonal extension is used 7/9/11/13 as it's all ways to add harmony and flavour to the piece ,

              so good lesson , well done for posting , as an introduction to expanding triads ,

              also further chord construction is dead easy so explore them yourself or ask your guitar tutor to teach you , it'll open up a whole new world of tonal colour
                13 days later
                singemonkey wrote: Dominant 7ths take your major chords and make 'em dirty. Just as it should be.
                Always had a sweet spot ('scuse the pun) for major sevenths.
                I absolutely LOVE maj7ths. For me again, they work particularly well in ballads or mid-tempo stuff. It colours the sound in such an unique way.

                Good example is Rodriguez' 'I wonder'. The 2nd chord (which I seldom see most guys play correctly) is an Amaj7. So from A to Amaj 7: I [A] wonder ... how many [Amaj7] times you've been had ...". What incredible atmosphere it provides there. Also think of the intros to 'Year of the Cat' (where the Cmaj7 for me just paints that north african city atmosphere) and Frampton's "Showe me the way" where the Dmaj7 following the D provides one of the most memorable flavours of that chord sequence. Almost the entire intro to "what's going on" is built on maj7ths. ":Stairway to heaven uses Fmaj7 to great effect. Magic maj7s indeed.
                  Riaan C wrote:
                  singemonkey wrote: Dominant 7ths take your major chords and make 'em dirty. Just as it should be.
                  Always had a sweet spot ('scuse the pun) for major sevenths.
                  I absolutely LOVE maj7ths. For me again, they work particularly well in ballads or mid-tempo stuff. It colours the sound in such an unique way.

                  Good example is Rodriguez' 'I wonder'. The 2nd chord (which I seldom see most guys play correctly) is an Amaj7. So from A to Amaj 7: I [A] wonder ... how many [Amaj7] times you've been had ...". What incredible atmosphere it provides there. Also think of the intros to 'Year of the Cat' (where the Cmaj7 for me just paints that north african city atmosphere) and Frampton's "Showe me the way" where the Dmaj7 following the D provides one of the most memorable flavours of that chord sequence. Almost the entire intro to "what's going on" is built on maj7ths. ":Stairway to heaven uses Fmaj7 to great effect. Magic maj7s indeed.
                  Nice one, thanks Riaan!

                  I'm enjoying the input from the fellow members, gives the very basic stuff I did context for the person reading (and of course, me!)
                    7 days later
                    thank you... this goes into my bookmarks for later referencing! ?
                      Great Thread , Thanks ! :applause:
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