Major Seventh Interval

1Composition: what it contains

Semitones

11

Abbreviation

M7

Inversion

minor second

Consonance

dissonance

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

3Indications: what it is used for

The major seventh between root and seventh defines major seventh and minor-major seventh chords, the lush sound of jazz, bossa nova and neo-soul. As the leading tone of major and harmonic minor scales, it pulls up to the tonic. It appears in Lydian and Ionian modes. Played melodically as a leap it sounds wide and modern. Inverted, it becomes a minor second, which is why it can sound dissonant in close voicings.

4Dosage: how to practise it

On guitar, eleven frets on one string, or one fret higher two strings up (two frets higher when crossing the third and second strings). On piano, eleven half steps. Sing it as a half step below the octave and check by singing the octave first. Play major seventh chords and isolate the root and seventh. Train it daily for three minutes with an ear trainer, comparing it with the minor seventh and the octave.

Train it in the ear trainer

5Warnings and common mistakes

Do not confuse it with the diminished octave, which sounds the same but is spelled with the same letter. In chord symbols, the major seventh is written maj7, M7 or Δ, never just 7. It can be mistaken for an out-of-tune octave by inexperienced ears. In close voicings the root above the major seventh creates a sharp clash; spread them.

6Other presentations available

• Perfect Unison Interval
• Minor Second Interval
• Major Second Interval
• Minor Third Interval
• Major Third Interval
• Perfect Fourth Interval
• Tritone Interval
• Perfect Fifth Interval
• Minor Sixth Interval
• Major Sixth Interval
• Minor Seventh Interval
• Perfect Octave Interval