color tones / dominant 7th chords

Welcome to a pathway into the world of dominant family colortones. Of the three families of chords, major 7th, minor 7th and dominant 7th, the dominant chord type potentially provides the largest palette of different non-diatonic or altered colors and combinations for the creative artist. So depending on your artistic directions, this can be a key page.

In most of the American styles, it is usually with dominant 7th chords that we encounter the more complex combinations of colortones such as G 7 # 9 # 5, where two or more of the pitches used to create the chord are borrowed from other keys. Perhaps needless to say, a chord such as G 7 # 9 # 5 is rather rare in the vast majority of American music, and by examining a chords pitches, helps to place it in the music. The G 7#9 #5 is packed with blue notes, so is it a blues chord? Yep. Folk? Using this chordal color on a folk gig will probably raise a few eyebrows etc. Rock? No, too complex. Pop and jazz? Of course. Any thing from any pitch right...?

The following ideas present a simple format for understanding how common dominant type chords are spelt and labeled, and along the way we will hopefully uncover some new color combinations, enhancing your existing palette of dominant family color tones. Using our major third / minor third blocks, examine the intervalic structure of a diatonic V 7 chord and compare this structure to major 7th and minor 7th chord types. Example 1.

Both the major 7th and minor 7th chord types alternate the intervals symmetrically, the dominant type does not. Is this important? Very. This unsymmetrical building of the dominant color creates the all important tritone interval within the dominant chord structure, without which, the dominant loses a key aspect of it's ability to create tension, thus it's resolving nature.

Let's set up the tonal basis for all of the following ideas. We'll use the root or fundamental pitch C as our tonic, and from this pitch, project into both the major and minor tonalities throughout the examples which follow. Thus, all of the dominant chords examined below will be based on the root G, the fifth scale degree of either the C major or C minor tonal environment, and function in a resolving capacity. Look to the blues for ideas where dominant chord colors function in a tonic capacity. Here is a chart locating the perfect 5th G within the keys, based on the tonic pitch C. Example 1a.

From which group of pitches above can we diatonically build this V 7 chord from the root G? Right, the C major scale. Check the pitches. Example 1b.

The key pitch in the G 7 chord is the B natural. All the others appear in both the C major and C minor groups, the G, D and F. The B natural, the all important leading tone of C major, helps generate the tritone interval that motors the dominant 7th chords. Click spelling chords to update your knowledge of the above process. Let's label the pitches of our V 7 chord by measuring from the root. Example 1c.

Here is the sound of the G 7 arpeggio resolving to C major then C minor. Example 1d.

Pretty basic huh? Well, have to start somewhere eh? This vanilla V 7 chord is used in all of the various styles of American music. Is there a way to alter this V 7 chord? Of course, we do it all here. A common way to alter the V 7 chord is to simply lower the 5th chord degree by half step, creating what is commonly known as a "flatted 5th." Here is our chord spelling chart. Example 1d.

Simply lower the 5th degree by half step, thus V 7 b5. Here is it's sound. Example 1e.

Try tagging one of your blues arrangements with this cool, "wholetonish" dominant color.

Other alterations to the basic V 7 chord? Maybe take the 5th degree a half step the other way and augment it, creating a V 7 + 5 dominant color. Spelling the chord. Example 1f.

Here is its sound moving effortlessly into the both of our main tonal environments. Example 1g.

Pretty slick huh? A very, very effective operator in the minor tonality is this V 7 + 5 chord. That the + 5 is a blue note probably helps eh? Other alterations to the basic four pitches of the V 7 chord? No, not without changing chord type. So, can we extend the above G 7 arpeggio? Yep. Let's do that by simply adding the remaining pitches of the C major arpeggio. Example 1h.

So, having retained our basic V 7 chord pitches, we've simply respelt a C major scale in major and minor thirds from it's 5th scale degree G, and presto, created an extended arpeggio outlining the diatonic dominant harmony colortones. Compare the two arpeggios, tonic and dominant, as created from the pitches of the C major scale. Example 1i.

Cool with this? One group of pitches created from within another, each retaining their own unique interval formula which defines their sound. Hip to the church modes?

With this in mind, what about adding the 9th degree to our V 7chord? Here is the spelling chart. Example 2.

Although the dominant ninth chord is for the most part a blues and jazz coloring, it is also the essential funk chord and thus we often find it in pop and rock also, so a reasonably malleable character stylistically. Here is it's sound as part of the common Two / Five / One cadential motion. Example 2a.

This V 9 color is a reasonably subtle dominant tension and might be a good initial choice in expanding your dominant concept. Can we alter the 9th? Yep. Two ways, just like with the 5th as in example 1 above. A common alteration to the V 9 chord is simply to flat the 9th degree by half step, creating what is commonly termed the V 7b9 chord. Here is the spelling chart. Example 2b.

Same V 7 chord basis, just the alteration of the 9th, to the non-diatonic pitch Ab. We hear this color often in the performance of jazz standards, whether written in to music or simply substituted in by the players. Dig the coolness. Example 2c.

Sound familiar? The flat nine as used above adds a nice chromatic motion to the melody. The V 7 b9 chord is a potential "bridge" for emerging artists to move from a blues / rock perspective into the world of jazz. This could be especially true in playing jazz standards, American musical literature which provides one solid pathway from the blues / rock thing into the world of jazz. Many jazz standards provide ample opportunity for using the V 7 b9 coloring. Discovering, understanding and evolving the V 7b9 color from the vanilla V 7 was for me a "giant step" when getting into jazz from a more blues / rock based concept.

In the minor tonality, we oftentimes pair this V 7b9 color with the Two half diminished chord and resolve to a minor tonic. Example 2d.

Using the V 7 b9 with the diatonic half diminished Two chord, created from the minor tonality, allows us to use the common tone pitch Ab between the two chords, solidifying the sounds together. Are you hip to the idea that there is a fully diminished seventh chord residing within the V 7b9 dominant configuration?

Another common alteration to the 9th chord degree is to go up by half step, creating what is commonly known as the sharp nine tension, or the V 7 # 9 chord. Here is the spelling chart. Example 2e.

Blues and rockers delight in the power of the V 7 # 9 chord. A very powerful persuader in both the major and minor tonalities. Example 2f.

New chord for ya? Cool, but do handle with care, tis a very potent color indeed in the right environment or musical setting. Try adding it to cadential motions in your blues playing as the #9 is an essential blue note.

The 11th degree in the dominant seventh arpeggio is used two basic ways. One is to employ the natural or diatonic 11th chord degree to suspend the 3rd degree of the V 7 triad. Players commonly call this the " V 7 sus 4 chord." Compare the pitch change between the G 7 and the G 7 sus 4 chord. Example 3.

From the chart above, can you see how we simply raise the 3rd by half step to create the "sus" 4? Not all that heavy huh? So why is this termed "sus" 4 anyway? Good question, the answer of which has to do with the way it is used. Check out the following cadential motion. Example 3a.

Cool n'est pas? So we use the "sus 4" to avoid sounding the major 3rd B and the natural 11th C in the same chord? Pretty much. The "sus" or suspended designation in labeling the chord comes from the fact the 4th degree momentarily suspends the sounding of the 3rd chord degree, which when sounded creates the essential tritone tension of the dominant family of chords, augmenting the need to resolve. Theoretically, we need this major 3rd to complete the V 7 color, setting up the "proper" tension to resolve. Artistically we do what ever works. The rockers love this chord as it quickly creates the "epic" sound, so essential to telling their songs of love.

The second common use for the 11th degree is to raise it up by half step creating what is commonly known as the "sharp 11" or V 7 # 11 chord. Here we can keep the major 3rd within the triad and also add a bit of the augmented color to our dominant chord. Spelling out the pitches. Example 3b.

Here is the V 7 # 11sound within a resolving cadential motion. Example 3c.

Unique huh? Almost an exclusively jazz chordal color. Dig that quartile tonic 6 / 9. Other alterations to the 11th chord degree? Nope.

The 13th chord tone creates some very cool, bright and exciting dominant colors. Check out the following possibilities. Example 4.

Some potentially pretty important dominant tensions for both blues and jazz players alike in the last idea. Click it again. Hear any possibilities to use the V 7 / 13 chord in your music? The V 7 / 13 chords might be a good way to re-color your existing dominant repertoire, if you are not already using them that is, in that they are a "softer" tension, while not too far altered from the vanilla V 7 chord. A way to subtly evolve your dominant energy. Anyway, we create this chord by simply extending our arpeggio up to include the 13th. Example 4a.

Perhaps it needless to say that we do not have to include all the pitches of the dominant arpeggio to properly support the 13th chord degree. Oftentimes the 11th is left out. Although lest we overlook the A major triad the # 11 pitch C# helps create. Hip to the polytonal world? Two major triads in one chord? Simply placing one triad over another?   Example 4a.

Getting a bit out there? That's kinda the idea...

Pairing 13 with 9 is reasonably common, as the interval between the two pitches is a perfect 5th, so pretty consonant sounding as in the above idea of example 4. As the 9th is alterable, some interesting combinations emerge. Using the 13th with b9 creates an exciting color. Example 4b.

Nice huh? Perhaps an essential for the player of jazz muzeek? Here are the pitches. Example 4c.

Using the 13th the # 9, we end up with two pairs of tritones a half step apart, so pretty tense overall. Here is the spelling chart. Do you understand the color pairings of tritone intervals? Example 4d.

B to F is a tritone, the essential one for the creating the dominant color. A# to E is also a tritone, so double trouble? Mind you that this particular dominant configuration is pretty rare in almost all of the styles of American music. Example 4e.

Well? How about pairing the # 9 with a b13? Simply lower the 13th E to Eb? Maybe move into the minor tonality? Check it out. Example 4f.

Well better? Yeh, it's perhaps more of a blusier choice in this setting, the b13 is a blue note making it an earthier color. Here are the pitches. Example 4g.

Nice chord huh? What about b9 and b13 together over a vanilla V 7 chord? Both resolutions are cool though advanced. Into the major tonality first, then minor. Example 4h.

I like it, what do you think? The half step resolution to the 3rd of the major tonic is pretty smooth. Holding over the b13 into the minor tonic chord is classic. Your call. Here are the pitches. Example 4i.

Well, interesting that we are back to the interval of a perfect fifth between the b9 and b13 color tones. So what's left, the 15th? Here are the pitches. Example 5.

The 15th looks pretty diatonic huh? Compare these two arpeggios. Example 5a.

Does one sound "more correct" than the other? Which one sounds more correct to you? Click it again. Well? If arpeggio 1 sounds more correct to your ear, cool. If arpeggio 2 sounds more correct, read on.  

The last pitch of arpeggio # 2 in the example above is G#, making it theoretically the #15 chord degree when measured from the root of the chord, so two octaves and a minor second above the root. Anyway, G# = Ab right? Enharmonic re-spelling? Why doesn't the #15 sound like a b9 then? Well, for a number of reasons, one of which pertains to the discussion here. 

Simply put, the cycle of pitches we normally associate with the major 7 and minor 7 chord types do not initially exist with the dominant family of chords. There is a segment of the dominant arpeggio which does not follow in the basic major third / minor third cycle which forms the basis for the other two chord types. Really? Yes, it's all so mysterious sometimes. Anyway, what makes the #15 work is that when the dominant arpeggio is extended up through and past the 9th degree, it naturally reverts back to the steady major third / minor third cycle. It will continue this cycle until the ascending pitches have passed through all of the 12 major and minor tonal centers. Really? Well, it's what my ears tell me. Just food for thought? Yes and no. Click here for continuing this line of thought. Click there for another view of these ideas. So needless to say, this "glitch" in the dominant arpeggio creates some pretty cool stuff, otherwise, would our only sounds be major or minor? What no dominant color to bridge between the two tonal environments? No blues? Now that's a scary thought.

Either way, getting back to spelling dominant chords. Spelling dominant colortones in any of the other 11 keys is as simple as filling in one of the above charts with the pitches based on a different root or fundamental. Pick a pitch. F? Make this pitch the root of a major or natural minor scale. Here's the chart. Example 6.

We locate the dominant on the 5th scale degree. We get our initial diatonic dominant pitches from the major scale grouping of pitches and alterations from the minor color. Creating the arpeggio from the scale. Example 6a.

Easy enough eh? Spell C 7? We simply find the 5th C in the F major scale, locate C in the F arpeggio and read to the right. Let's theoretically label the pitches of C 7. Example 6b.

Here is the dominant arpeggio based on the root C. Example 6c.

So, what's the chord to spell? When the chord symbol says #9, simply find the 9th and raise it by half step. b13? Lower the 13th by half step. Comments? Questions? What next? How about exploring when the dominant chord color functions as the tonic? Or maybe...

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." Mark Twain (1835-1910)