augmented seventh chord
Component intervals from root
minor seventh
augmented fifth
major third
root
Tuning
80:100:125:144
Forte no. / Complement
4-24 / 8-24

The augmented seventh chord, or seventh augmented fifth chord,[1] or seventh sharp five chord is a seventh chord composed of a root, major third, augmented fifth, and minor seventh (1, 3, ♯5, ♭7).[2] It can be viewed as an augmented triad with a minor seventh.[3] When using popular-music symbols, it is denoted by +7, aug7,[2] or 7♯5. For example, the augmented seventh chord built on A♭, written as A♭+7, has pitches A♭-C-E-G♭:

{ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key c \major <as c e ges>1 } }

The chord can be represented by the integer notation {0, 4, 8, 10}.

Use

The root is the only optional note in an augmented seventh chord, the fifth being required because it is raised.[4] This alteration is useful in the major mode because the raised 5th creates a leading tone to the 3rd of the tonic triad.[3] See also dominant.

In rock parlance, the term augmented seventh chord is sometimes confusingly and erroneously used to refer to the so-called "Hendrix chord", a 7♯9 chord which contains the interval of an augmented ninth but not an augmented fifth.[5]

{ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 6/4 c4^\markup { "C whole tone scale" } d e fis gis ais \time 4/4 c1 \bar "||" \time 4/4 <c, e gis bes>1 \bar "||" } }
One chord-scale option for an augmented dominant seventh chord (+7th) is the whole tone scale.[6]

The augmented minor seventh chord may be considered an altered dominant seventh and may use the whole tone scale, as may the dominant seventh flat five chord.[7] See chord-scale system.

The augmented seventh chord normally resolves to the chord a perfect fifth below.[8] Thus, G aug7 resolves to a C major or minor chord, for example.

{ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key c \major <b dis f g>1 <c e e g> \bar "||" } }

Augmented seventh chord table

Chord Root Major third Augmented fifth Minor seventh
Caug7 C E G♯ B♭
C♯aug7 C♯ E♯ (F) Gdouble sharp (A) B
D♭aug7 D♭ F A C♭ (B)
Daug7 D F♯ A♯ C
D♯aug7 D♯ Fdouble sharp (G) Adouble sharp (B) C♯
E♭aug7 E♭ G B D♭
Eaug7 E G♯ B♯ (C) D
Faug7 F A C♯ E♭
F♯aug7 F♯ A♯ Cdouble sharp (D) E
G♭aug7 G♭ B♭ D F♭ (E)
Gaug7 G B D♯ F
G♯aug7 G♯ B♯ (C) Ddouble sharp (E) F♯
A♭aug7 A♭ C E G♭
Aaug7 A C♯ E♯ (F) G
A♯aug7 A♯ Cdouble sharp (D) Edouble sharp (F♯) G♯
B♭aug7 B♭ D F♯ A♭
Baug7 B D♯ Fdouble sharp (G) A

See also

References

  1. ^ Kroepel, Bob (1993). Mel Bay Creative Keyboard's Deluxe Encyclopedia of Piano Chords: A Complete Study of Chords and How to Use Them, p. 15. ISBN 0-87166-579-4.
  2. ^ a b Garner, Robert (2007). Mel Bay Presents Essential Music Theory for Electric Bass, p. 69. ISBN 0-7866-7736-8.
  3. ^ a b Kostka, Stefan; Payne, Dorothy (2004). "The Dominant with a Raised 5th". Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth-Century Music (6th ed.). New York. pp. 446–447. ISBN 978-0-07-332713-6.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ Latarski, Don (1991). An Introduction to Chord Theory, p. 29. ISBN 0-7692-0955-6.
  5. ^ Radio: "Shiver down the backbone – Jimi Hendrix comes to Radio 3", The Spectator, by Kate Chisholm, Wednesday, 21 November 2007
  6. ^ Hatfield, Ken (2005). Jazz and the Classical Guitar Theory and Applications, p. 121. ISBN 0-7866-7236-6.
  7. ^ Berle, Annie (1996). Contemporary Theory and Harmony, p. 100. ISBN 0-8256-1499-6.
  8. ^ Bay, William (1994). Mel Bay Complete Jazz Sax Book, p. 64. ISBN 0-7866-0229-5.
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