Jazzing up your Songs with Seventh Chords
If you typically use a lot Major and Minor Triad chords in your songs, one way to spice up your songwriting would be to start adding in some Seventh chords.
Triads are the most common type of chord construction. They contain the Root of the chord, which is where the chord will get its letter name, such as G or D. And they also contain the 3rd and the 5th of the chord. You basically just pick a note in the scale to start with for the root of the chord, and then add every other note in the scale until you also have the 3rd and 5th. (The difference between major and minor chords is that in a minor chord the 3rd will be a half-step (one pitch) lower, or closer to the root)
This is very easy to conceptualize on a piano keyboard, but it is a bit tricky to visualize on the guitar fretboard. I usually explain chord construction to my guitar students using a keyboard, and then I let them know that on the guitar the theory is the same, but the fretboard patterns can be a little confusing at first.
Any of the notes in a Triad can be repeated an octave higher or lower. They can be flipped around, making variations of the same chord. These variations are called voicings. If you play an open G chord on guitar, that is one voicing of a G chord. A G chord played in the barred position would be another voicing.
Continuing in the manner above, a seventh chord will contain the Root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th note from the starting point within a scale. The seventh will occur one note before the Octave, the octave being a repeat of the Root note at a higher pitch.
When building Seventh chords from major and minor triads here are three different variations: Major Sevenths, Dominant Sevenths, and Minor Sevenths. A Major Seventh chord is a major chord with a seventh that falls a half-step (1 pitch) below the octave. A Dominant Seventh chord is also a major chord, but with a seventh that falls a whole-step (2 pitches) below the octave. Dominant Seventh chords are also just called Seventh chords. Minor Sevenths are Minor chords with a seventh note that falls a whole-step (2 pitches) below the octave. (This is always the case with Minor Sevenths). Major Sevenths have a pretty sound, while Dominant Sevenths are more dissonant. Minor Sevenths sound more open, but keep in mind, all of this is largely a matter of interpretation.
If you write Rock, Country, or Folk music you are most likely using a lot of Triads. You can now try changing some of the chords to Seventh chords to spice up your songs.
If you are writing R&B or Jazz you probably already have a lot of 7ths in your chords. One way to change the flavor and add variety to your chord sounds within these styles would be to reduce the chords down to triads.
If you write Blues songs you have most likely realized that the Blues utilizes Dominant Seventh chords almost exclusively. You could try turning all your blues chords into triads and playing them with a straight feel rather than a shuffle. A lot of great rock tunes have emerged from this technique. You could also try turning the I and IV chords into Major Seventh chords, which would transform your Blues Song into a Major key chord progression. (In the key of C Major I, IV, and V chords would then be Cmaj7, Fmaj7, and G7, respectively, but in C Blues they would all be Dominant Seventh chords).
The main thing is to apply experimentation with your chords. Substitute some Seventh chords for Triads and the other way around. You may just add a whole new dimension to your songs!
Looking for more cool Songwriting Tips? Check out the unique and innovative Songwriting Techniques taught at Songwriting Planet.
