Learn-by-doing lessons for quickly internalizing Minor 7th Chords in all spellings… by ear, intellect, eye and muscle…
Table of Contents
Lesson Goal
To quickly internalize Minor 7th Chords in all spellings… using all four musical intelligences.
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
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D Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Dm7, Dmin7, or D-7
- Chord Structure: 1-b3-5-b7 (Minor Triad + b7)
- Character: dark, sometimes cool, sometime introspective, sometimes soulful.
The Dm7 chord is a D minor triad plus the note C.
Notice how the additional note C adds some color to the already dark sounding D minor triad.
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Common Uses for Minor 7th Chords
Common uses (using Roman Numeral Analysis) for Major Triads include, but are not limited to, the following:
- ii7 in a Major Key (often as part of a ii7-V7 chord progression).
- part of a ii7-V7 secondary dominant.
- i7 in a Dorian Tonality.
- i7 or iv7 in Minor Blues.
- vi7 in Major Key.
- iii7 in a Major Key.
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Minor 7th Chords, All Spellings
Here are the chord symbols, spellings, common usages, and keyboard layouts for all the Minor 7th Chords…
Sidebar advice from Frank: (1) In order to build any Minor 7th Chord, just add “the b7” to a minor triad, (2) Simply learn to spell each chord just as you spell any four-letter word in English. For example, you spell face F-A-C-E and star S-T-A-R. Likewise, you spell a Cm7 chord C-Eb-G-Bb and Dm7 chord D-F-A-C.
C Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Cm7, Cmin7, C-7
- Spelling: C-Eb-G-Bb (C Minor Triad + Bb)
- Common Usage: ii7 in Bb Major… vi7 in Eb Major… iii7 in Ab Major… i7 in C Dorian or C Minor Blues.
C Sharp Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: C#m7, C#-7
- Spelling: C#-E-G#-B (C# Minor Triad + B)
- Common Usage: ii7 in B Major… vi7 in E Major… iii in A Major… i7 in C# Dorian or C# Minor Blues.
D Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Dm7, D-7
- Spelling: D-F-A-C (D Minor Triad + C)
- Common Usage: ii7 in C Major… vi7 in F Major… iii in Bb Major… i7 in D Dorian or D Minor Blues.
E Flat Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Ebm7, Eb-7
- Spelling: Eb-Gb-Bb-Db (Eb Minor Triad + Db)
- Common Usage: ii7 in Db Major… vi7 in Gb Major… i7 in Eb Dorian or Eb Minor Blues.
E Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Em7, E-7
- Spelling: E-G-B-D (E Minor Triad + D)
- Common Usage: ii7 in D Major… vi7 in G Major… iii in C Major… i7 in E Dorian or E Minor Blues.
F Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Fm7, F-7
- Spelling: F-Ab-C-Eb (F Minor Triad + Eb)
- Common Usage: ii7 in Eb Major… vi7 in Ab Major… iii in Db Major… i7 in F Dorian or F Minor Blues.
F Sharp Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: F#m7, F#-7
- Spelling: F#-A-C#-E (F# Minor Triad + E)
- Common Usage: ii7 in E Major… vi7 in A Major… iii7 in D Major… i7 in F# Dorian or F# Minor Blues.
G Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Gm7, G-7
- Spelling: G-Bb-D-F (G Minor Triad + F)
- Common Usage: ii7 in F Major… vi7 in Bb Major… iii7 in Eb Major… i7 in G Dorian or G Minor Blues.
G Sharp Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: G#m7, G#-7
- Spelling: G#-B-D#-F# (G# Minor Triad + F#)
- Common Usage: vi7 in B Major… iii7 in E Major… i7 in G# Dorian or G# Minor Blues.
A Flat Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Abm7, Ab-7
- Spelling: Ab-Cb-Eb-Gb (Ab Minor Triad + Gb)
- Common Usage: ii7 in Gb Major.
A Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Am7, A-7
- Spelling: A-C-E-G (A Minor Triad + G)
- Common Usage: ii7 in G Major… vi7 in C Major… iii7 in F Major… i7 in A Dorian or A Minor Blues.
B Flat Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Bbm7, Bb-7
- Spelling: Bb-Db-F-Ab (Bb Minor Triad + Ab)
- Common Usage: ii7 in Ab Major… vi7 in Db Major… iii7 in Gb Major… i7 in Bb Dorian or Bb Minor Blues.
B Minor 7th Chord
- Chord Symbol: Bm7, B-7
- Spelling: B-D-F#-A (B Minor Triad + A)
- Common Usage: ii7 in A Major… vi7 in D Major… iii7 in G Major… i7 in B Dorian or B Minor Blues.
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