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.
