The minor flat sixth major seventh chord combines a minor third, a lowered sixth, and a major seventh (1-♭3-♭6-7 as a conceptual skeleton—fifth may be omitted or implied). The lowered sixth and major seventh create a dramatic contradiction: minor darkness below with a bright major-seventh ceiling. It is rare in common-practice diatonic harmony and appears more as a composed color in jazz, film, and modern classical-influenced writing.
Construction
Core tones emphasize ♭6 and 7 against ♭3; voicings vary widely.
Usage
Short dramatic hits, modal mixture colors, and cinematic harmony.
Examples
- Film scoring for uneasy beauty
- Modern jazz voicings on tonic minor with borrowed upper extensions
- Experimental pop production for one-bar shifts
Play
Separate ♭6 and 7 registrally; omit the fifth to reduce cluster density.
Ear-training cues
Minor third with both ♭6 and major seventh present in the harmony.
