JAZZ HARMONY · 7 MIN SUGGESTED

Jazz Guitar Seventh Chords: maj7, m7 & Dominant 7

A dominant seventh has a major third and a minor seventh.

Major, minor and dominant seventh chords · By Vincent Iannone · Updated 30 October 2026

What are major seventh, minor seventh and dominant seventh chords?

Seventh chords add a seventh above a triad, and three types do most of the work in jazz. A major seventh chord uses 1 3 5 7 (on C: C E G B). A dominant seventh uses 1 3 5 ♭7 (C E G B♭): a major third with a minor seventh. A minor seventh uses 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 (C E♭ G B♭). Each pair differs by one note. From Cmaj7 to C7 only the seventh drops a semitone; from C7 to Cm7 only the third drops. The third and seventh carry the chord’s quality, which is why jazz guitarists often play those two notes and leave the fifth out. In a major key the ii chord is a minor seventh, the V chord a dominant seventh and the I chord a major seventh.

The idea

A major seventh chord uses 1 3 5 7; a minor seventh uses 1 b3 5 b7; a dominant seventh uses 1 3 5 b7. On C, those sounds are C E G B, C Eb G Bb, and C E G Bb. Compare one changed note at a time.

Put it under your fingers

1. Hear Cmaj7 in the lab and sing its B against the C root.
2. Switch to C7. Hear B lower to Bb while E and G stay.
3. Switch to Cm7. Hear E lower to Eb while Bb stays.

Make it yours

Name the changed note as you alternate Cmaj7, C7, and Cm7.