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New Released in April 2026
Seventh Chords: The 5 Types Explained
Seventh chords add a fourth note, the 7th, on top of a triad. There are five main types: major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th, half-diminished and diminished 7th. Each has its own sound and job, from the soft maj7 of ballads to the dominant 7th that pulls back home. Here they are, built on C, with how to practise them.
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The 5 seventh chords on the piano
Seventh chord types and formulas
| Type | Symbol | Formula | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major 7th | Cmaj7 | 1 3 5 7 | soft, dreamy |
| Dominant 7th | C7 | 1 3 5 b7 | bluesy, wants to resolve |
| Minor 7th | Cm7 | 1 b3 5 b7 | warm, mellow |
| Half-diminished | Cm7b5 | 1 b3 b5 b7 | dark, searching |
| Diminished 7th | Cdim7 | 1 b3 b5 bb7 | tense, symmetric |
| Minor-major 7th | CmMaj7 | 1 b3 5 7 | mysterious |
Deep dives: major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th, diminished.
How to build any seventh chord
Start from the triad and add the 7th. A major 7th is one key below the octave; a minor (flat) 7th is two keys below. Major triad + major 7th = maj7. Major triad + flat 7th = dominant 7th. Minor triad + flat 7th = m7. Diminished triad + flat 7th = half-diminished; with a double-flat 7th it is the full diminished 7th.
Which seventh chords to learn first?
Dominant 7th, major 7th and minor 7th, in all 12 keys. They are the chords of pop, soul and jazz, and the three that make up the most common jazz progression. Half-diminished and diminished come next.
Seventh chord inversions
Four notes give four positions: root position, 1st, 2nd and 3rd inversion. Every inversion is still the same chord, and playing them smooths the movement between chords. See chord inversions.
Practise seventh chords by playing
In ChordRunner's advanced level the seventh chords come in all 12 keys, in mixed order.
Any voicing counts
Root position, inversions or shells: the right notes are enough.
MIDI keyboard or microphone
USB MIDI keyboard detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone.
Common questions
What are the 5 types of seventh chords?
Major 7th (1 3 5 7), dominant 7th (1 3 5 b7), minor 7th (1 b3 5 b7), half-diminished (1 b3 b5 b7) and diminished 7th (1 b3 b5 bb7). A sixth, the minor-major 7th, appears more rarely.
What is the difference between maj7 and 7?
Cmaj7 adds the major 7th (B), one key below the octave, for a soft sound. C7 adds the flat 7th (Bb), two keys below the octave, for a bluesy sound that wants to resolve.
Which seventh chords should I learn first?
Dominant 7th, major 7th and minor 7th in all 12 keys. Then half-diminished and diminished 7th.
How do I practise seventh chords?
One type at a time in every key, then mixed. In ChordRunner the advanced level brings 7th chords in all keys on a MIDI keyboard, piano or guitar, and any voicing counts.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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