Dominant seventh
Major triad plus a minor seventh. The tritone between third and seventh pushes the harmony toward the tonic.
Symbol 7 · C7 Four notes
Listen
Notes of the chord
1 C M3 E P5 G m7 B♭
C E G
Where you have heard it
Grau V7 before the resolution
Blues all three chords are sevenths
What it gets confused with
Frequently asked
Which notes make a dominant seventh chord?
A major triad plus a minor seventh — for example G, B, D and F.
Why does it resolve so strongly to the tonic?
The third and the seventh form a tritone, and that tritone squeezes onto the notes of the tonic chord, pulling the ear there.
Which degree does it sit on?
The fifth degree of a major key, which is why it is called the dominant seventh.
There is an exercise track dedicated to recognising this by ear.
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