Chords reference
Minor Seventh Chord
A minor seventh chord is a four-note chord containing a minor triad and a minor seventh above its root.
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C Minor 7 Chord
- Theory
- Chord
- Written root
- C
- Instrument
- 6-string Guitar
- Tuning
- E Standard
- Labels
- Notes
- Handedness
- Right handed
| String, low to high | Fret | Current label | Note | Degree | Interval | Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 1 | 6 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 1 | 8 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 1 | 11 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 1 | 15 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 1 | 18 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 1 | 20 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 1 | 23 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 1 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 2 | 3 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 2 | 6 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 10 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 2 | 13 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 2 | 15 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 2 | 18 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 22 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 1 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 3 | 5 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 8 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 3 | 10 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 3 | 13 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 3 | 17 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 20 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 3 | 22 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 0 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 4 | 3 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 4 | 5 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 8 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 4 | 12 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 4 | 15 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 4 | 17 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 20 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 4 | 24 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 1 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 5 | 4 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 5 | 8 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 11 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 5 | 13 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 5 | 16 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 5 | 20 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 23 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 6 | 3 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 6 | 6 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 6 | 8 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 6 | 11 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 6 | 15 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 6 | 18 | Bb | Bb | 7 | b7 | No |
| 6 | 20 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 6 | 23 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
Overview
Adding a minor seventh extends the minor triad with a note that lies a whole tone below the octave root. The chord combines clear minor quality with a broader four-note texture.
Construction
The authoritative definition combines a minor triad with a minor seventh. Its internal intervals can be reordered across inversions and voicings without changing the chord quality.
Characteristics
The perfect fifth stabilises the minor triad, while the minor seventh adds colour without creating the leading-tone relationship of a major seventh. Function depends strongly on key, bass note, and surrounding harmony.
Applications
Minor seventh chords appear in major and minor diatonic harmony, Dorian settings, modal vamps, chord progressions, arpeggios, and chord-tone improvisation.