Articles tagged with: "major seventh chord"
Major Seventh Chord: The Jazz Standard of Sophistication
The major seventh chord elevates the basic major triad with a rich, colorful extension: the major seventh interval. This creates a sophisticated, dreamy sound that is foundational to jazz, bossa...
Unveiling the Diminished Octave: A Musician's Guide to Dissonance
The diminished octave is a fascinating and highly dissonant interval that, while rare, serves as a powerful tool for composers to create tension, surprise, and deep emotional color. This article...
The Ultimate Guide to the Dominant Seventh Chord
If there's one chord that acts as the engine of Western music, it's the dominant seventh. You've heard its tense, unresolved sound countless times in everything from Bach to blues, …
A Guide to Dominant Modulation: Changing Keys Like a Pro
Dominant modulation is a cornerstone of Western music, providing a smooth and powerful way to change keys. This article demystifies this essential harmonic tool, exploring what it is, how it …
What is a Musical Note? Understanding the Building Blocks of Music
A musical note is the fundamental building block of music, representing both a specific sound and a written symbol. Understanding its core properties—pitch, duration, dynamics, and timbre—is the...
Secondary Dominants: Adding Color and Direction to Chord Progressions
Secondary dominants are one of the most powerful tools in functional harmony, used to add color, tension, and forward momentum to chord progressions. By temporarily "tonicizing" chords other than the...