D Dominant seventh sharp fifth

The 7♯5 dominant chord brightens the dominant center by raising the fifth. It keeps strong functional pull but sounds more volatile and modern than plain 7. This is a classic entry point into altered dominant language.

Construction

Core formula: 1-3-♯5-♭7, often with optional 9 or 13 colors in context. In C: C-E-G♯-B♭. The chord remains functionally dominant because 3 and ♭7 are intact.

Usage

Widely used in jazz, blues-influenced harmony, and cinematic transitions where dominant pull needs extra edge. It can resolve strongly to tonic or pivot chromatically to neighboring colors.

Examples

• Altered V before clear tonic arrival
• Jazz turnaround dominant with brighter altered core
• Expressive bridge harmony in modern songwriting

Play

Keep 3 and ♭7 stable, make ♯5 clearly audible, and avoid overloading inner voices. A smooth stepwise resolution of ♯5 gives this chord its strongest dramatic effect.