major seventh chord
LowTechnical / Musical
Definition
Meaning
A musical chord comprising a root note, a major third, a perfect fifth, and a major seventh interval above the root.
In music theory and performance, a sophisticated and rich-sounding chord often associated with jazz, soul, and complex harmonic progressions, known for its smooth yet tension-filled quality.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is highly domain-specific to music. The 'major seventh' refers to the interval, not the chord's overall 'major' quality. A common misconception is confusing it with a 'dominant seventh' chord.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or phonetic differences. The chord symbol notation (e.g., Cmaj7, CM7, CΔ7) is used identically.
Connotations
None specific to either variety.
Frequency
Identical frequency within the technical domain of music in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Chord] + [verb] + [key] (e.g., 'The major seventh chord resolves to the tonic.')[Verb] + [chord] (e.g., 'He voiced the major seventh chord spaciously.')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in musicology, theory, and composition studies to analyse harmony and chord progression.
Everyday
Rare, except among musicians or music enthusiasts discussing specific songs or sounds.
Technical
The primary context. Used in sheet music, chord charts, improvisation, and music production.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The progression majored on the seventh chord in the bridge.
American English
- The arrangement major-seventhed the final cadence.
adjective
British English
- The piece had a distinctly major-seventh quality.
American English
- It's a very major-seventh kind of sound.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like the sound of this chord in the song.
- It has four notes.
- A major seventh chord sounds smooth and jazzy.
- The chord C major seventh is written as Cmaj7.
- The composer used a major seventh chord to create a sense of unresolved warmth before the finale.
- In jazz, major seventh chords are often used as tonic chords.
- The guitarist's substitution of a major seventh chord for the expected dominant seventh lent the progression a peculiarly ethereal quality.
- Analysing the piece, one sees the major seventh chord functions here not as a static entity but as an appoggiatura to the relative minor.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'MAJOR' (happy/stable triad) + 'SEVENTH' (the sophisticated, dreamy note on top). C-E-G makes a C major triad; add B for Cmaj7.
Conceptual Metaphor
HARMONY IS A JOURNEY (The chord provides a complex, suspended point in a harmonic journey, often needing resolution).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation 'большой септаккорд' which is ambiguous. The precise term is 'большой мажорный септаккорд' or more commonly 'мажорный септаккорд' (Cma7, C∆7).
- Do not confuse with 'доминантсептаккорд' (dominant seventh), which has a minor seventh interval.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'major seventh chord' (e.g., C-E-G-B) with 'dominant seventh chord' (C-E-G-B♭).
- Pronouncing 'seventh' as 'seven' chord.
- Using it as a general term for any 'seventh' chord.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following notes is NOT in a C major seventh chord?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'C7' is a dominant seventh chord (C-E-G-B♭). 'Cmaj7' is a major seventh chord (C-E-G-B).
They are ubiquitous in jazz, bossa nova, R&B, and film music for creating lush, sophisticated, or nostalgic harmonies.
It often conveys warmth, dreaminess, complexity, and a bittersweet or hopeful quality, due to the slight tension between the major triad and the major seventh.
A common open voicing is (from low E to high E): 3-2-0-0-0-2 (notes G, B, D, F#, B, G). There are many other fingerings across the neck.