In Chord Building 1 we talked about basic triad chords , but most chord sequences you come across also have chords like:
G7, Cm7 etc.,
and in this article I will try to explain how to construct these.
The most common of these more complex chords is the 7th.
Seventh
A basic triad with a note added (called the seventh out of habit - usually written like the G7 above), and constructed like this:
R+4+3+3.
Example: G7:
G chord made up as in Chordbuilding 1:
GBD
Then add the 7th, using the system above, which will give you:
GBDF
Try doing C7 for yourself. Count it out and at the very end of this article you will find my result to check yours against. Find the asterisk.
Sixth.
Basic major chord then count 2 halftones:
R+4+3+2
(ie F6 counts out to become FACD)
Minor seventh
Make a basic minor chord then count another 3 halftones above (ie Dm7 is DFAC)
Minor sixth
Basic minor then count another 2 halftones - so that Dm6 will be DFAB.
End of Chord Building 2, except the answer to C7 below:
*C seven (C7) chord is CEGBb
Chordbuilding 3 begins to talk about that unfortunate subject of Degrees of the Scale, and tries to begin to account for some of the irrational names chords get.