Dominant 7th Chords

This lesson is all about converting the five major chords associated with the CAGED system into dominant seventh chords, also called simply 7th chords. Since there is often a little confusion about the difference between a dominant seventh chord and a major seventh chord hit the play button on the interactive graphic below to firm up these differences in your mind.For purposes of illustration and explanation I've compared C major, C major seven and C dominant seven.

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Next, let's put this to the test on the guitar as we play and listen to C major, C major seven and C dominant seven in the first position.

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Dominant seventh chords have their own quality and as you know, along with major and minor, are one of the three basic and most important chord sounds in music. The sound of the dominant seventh chord is funky and often considered to be bluesy it has a gutbucket and earthy type of sound that makes it instantly recognizable. A dominant seventh chord can be home base, or the chord that you start and end a blues or funky song on, but as you know from studying your music theory the purpose of a dominant seventh chord is to cause cadences and motion within compositions. Without dominant seventh chords the world of music would be a very strange and all place.

Converting The 5 Basic CAGED Shapes To Dominant 7th Chords

Now that we have had an opportunity to review the theory and get the sound of the dominant seventh chords in our ear it is time to convert the five basic shapes associated with the CAGED system into dominant seventh chords. Make sure you understand the spellings and formulas of each of the chords to follow and take special notice of the note that is added to basic major chord, flatted seventh of that particular key, which creates a dominant seventh structure and sound.

Converting C Major To C Dominant 7 In Position One

So here is all that theoretical information translated to the guitar neck. Remember, guitat voicings are neves as cut and dries or as logicals as they appear in music theory textbooks. Hopefully, I've included just enopugh music thoery to keep your practicing and memorizing flowing.

C Major Scale
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
Scale Degrees
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
C Major 7 Chord
C
E
G
B
C Dominant 7 Chord
C
E
G
B flat

 

Converting A Major To A Dominant 7 In Position One

A Major Scale
A
B
C#
D
E
F#
G#
A
Scale Degrees
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
A Major 7 Chord
A
C#
E
G#
A Dominant 7 Chord
A
C#
E
G

 

Converting G Major To G Dominant 7 In Position One

G Major Scale
G
A
B
C
D
E
F#
G
Scale Degrees
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
G Major 7 Chord
G
B
D
F#
G Dominant 7 Chord
G
B
D
F

 

 

Converting E Major To E Dominant 7 In Position One

E Major Scale
E
F#
G#
A
B
C#
D#
G
Scale Degrees
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
E Major 7 Chord
E
G#
B
D#
E Dominant 7 Chord
E
G#
B
D

Converting D Major To D Dominant 7 In Position One

D Major Scale
D
E
F#
G
A
B
C#
D
Scale Degrees
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
D Major 7 Chord
D
F#
A
C#
D Dominant 7 Chord
D
F#
A
C

Video Lesson

 

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For C Dominant 7

 

Applying The CAGED System To A Funky C Dominant 7 Vamp

Since this is a guitar course in learning not only how to play and name chords but also how to use them there is a breif study below in the funk style. Guiat parts, licks and melodies in the funky genre quite often are base don the dominant 7 sound.

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The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For An E Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For G Dominant 7

The remainder of this lesson will focus on our systematic approach to the CAGED system: specifically transposing the 5 basic shapes of a dominant 7 chord to all 12 keys. Naturally, we've started in the key of C because our procedure dictates that we will use the circle of fifths as our practicing guide.

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For D Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For An A Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For B Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For F# Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For F Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For B Flat Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For E Flat Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For An A Flat Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For A D Flat Dominant 7

 

The 5 Basic CAGED System Chords For A G Flat Dominant 7