The minor-major seventh chord combines a minor triad with a major seventh above the root (1-♭3-5-7). That major seventh creates a bittersweet lift: the third still sounds minor, but the seventh pulls upward like a tonic major chord. It is the characteristic tonic sonority of the melodic minor scale (ascending form in classical theory) and appears constantly in jazz harmony on i∆7 and related functions.
Construction
Formula: 1-♭3-5-7. In CmM7, spell C-E♭-G-B.
Usage
Tonic color in melodic minor tunes, dramatic cadence targets, and modern pop/jazz reharmonizations where a minor chord needs a bright, unstable ceiling.
Examples
- Jazz standards that tonicize melodic minor (i∆7)
- Film scoring for haunted beauty
- Neo-soul progressions with minor chords that shimmer on top
Play
Voice the major seventh clearly without crushing the minor third; omit the fifth in dense textures if clarity suffers.
Ear-training cues
Minor third below, major seventh above the root—tension and elegance at once.
