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Guitar Chords:How Do You Use 7th Chords To Instantly Create Killer Song Arrangements On The Guitar?
By Mike Hayes | March 1, 2009
Guitar playing can be confusing when you start learning, there is
an avalanche of information to digest … so much to learn, theory,
scales, speed building exercises etc.
But how much of this stuff do we really need to know to play
songs on the guitar?
After all, that’s what is really important, I doubt if you will ever receive a request to play a Dorian mode or a Harmonic minor scale … I know no-one has ever asked me to play them!
So how do we work out what to learn and most importantly …
“what to drop” from your guitar practice schedule? Quite simply
really, if you can’t see an immediate application for what you
are learning … don’t learn it!
This brings me to the subject of musical theory, a tremendous
amount of which does not directly apply to popular music.
Firstly, it’s crucial to understand that there is different types
of theory, classical theory, jazz theory, rock theory.
In fact, trying to understand rock theory while studying a
generic theory book could easily set you back twenty years and
confuse the hell out of you.
Let’s take the subject of 7th chords as a perfect example …
did you know there are two types of 7th chords, both are
important, both have entirely different applications and tonal
qualities.
The major 7th chord is a four note chord derived from the
diatonic scaletone seventh harmony.
Earth Translation: When we take a scale and stack the notes of
that scale on top of each other at an interval of a third we
create a series of chords that are the “children” of that scale.
The process is like a “layer cake” whereby any of the chords
created can be played as a background for the original scale
without any “wrong” notes being played. This is because the
chords where created from the notes in that scale.
Example 1:
Three note (triadic version) of chords created from the key of C
major:
C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C
Four note version (scaletone seventh version) of chords created
from the key of C major:
CMaj7 Dm7 Em7 FMaj7 G7 Am7 Bminor7b5 CMaj7
Important … notice how the fifth chord the “G” becomes a G7 (G
dominant 7th chord in the scaletone seventh version, whereas the
first chord “C” and the fourth chord “F” produce a Major seventh
chord quality .
Application: Major 7th chords can be used as subtitle chords to
add flavor to the basic major chord.
Example 2. static four bar C major introduction
C/// |C/// |C/// |C/// |
this introduction could be more interesting by alternating the C
major Chord with the C Major seventh
C/// |CMaj7/// |C/// |CMaj7/// |
The result would be to create movement while not actually moving
to another chord, like a person walking in one spot.
The dominant 7th chord is the fifth chord of a major diatonic
scaletone seventh version. It also occurs as the fifth chord in a
variety of other scales such as the harmonic, melodic minor and
Jazz minor scale scales (scaletone seventh versions).
The diatonic seventh chord like it’s counterpart the major
seventh is a four note chord.
Earth translation: Whilst the Major 7th chord occurs in the key
of the same name e.g., CMaj7 chord is a product of the key of C
Major the C7 (dominant 7th chord) is created from the key of F
major and does not occur in the key of C major.
Example 3:
Four note version (scaletone seventh version) of chords created
from the key of C major:
CMaj7 Dm7 Em7 FMaj7 G7 Am7 Bminor7b5 CMaj7
Example 4:
Four note version (scaletone seventh version) of chords created
from the key of F major:
FMaj7 Gm7 Am7 BbMaj7 C7 Dm7 Eminor7b5 FMaj7
Application: Helps define key centers or “keys of the moment” by
identifying the dominant seventh chord as the fifth chord in a
major of minor key.
To here these two chords in action listen to the opening bars of
George Harrison’s “Something”.
Something by George Harrison …
C/// | CMaj7/// | C7/// | F etc …
I invite you to use these tips and tools when you play the
guitar.
From Mike Hayes – The Guitar Coaching Guy & the Express Guitar System
http://www.GuitarCoaching.com
http://AdvancingGuitaristProgram.com
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