The major seventh chord is 1-3-5-7: a major triad plus a major seventh above the root. It is the tonic chord of the Ionian mode and one of the most important tertian sonorities in jazz, pop, and classical harmony. The major seventh creates a bright, settled, slightly jazzier color than a plain major triad because the seventh wants smooth resolution downward by step in many melodic contexts.
Construction
Formula: 1-3-5-7. In Cmaj7, spell C-E-G-B.
Usage
Tonic and subdominant colors in major keys, Imaj7 in jazz standards, and pop ballads for lush endings.
Examples
- Imaj7 openings in jazz ballads
- Pop choruses on Imaj7 for shimmer
- Classical seventh-chord progressions in late Romantic harmony
Play
Shell voicings (3 and 7) are efficient; add tensions after the function is clear.
Ear-training cues
Major triad plus a major seventh—bright, stable, “jazzy major.”
Examples of Major seventh used in songs
Real tracks where you can hear this chord and practice it with movable-do syllables.
Don't know why
Norah JonesThe intro of this song starts with a brilliantly sounding major seventh in the melodic line that immediately moves downwards.
