Major & minor 7ths

Two more seventh chords, built the same way — triad plus a 7th:

MAJOR 7th (Cmaj7) = major triad + MAJOR 7th: 1, 3, 5, 7. The dreamy, floating chord of ballads, bossa nova and lo-fi. Only a semitone separates it from C7, but the mood is completely different.

MINOR 7th (Cm7) = minor triad + minor 7th: 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. Smooth and mellow — the default minor chord in jazz, soul and R&B.

Build tip: maj7 = octave minus a semitone on top; m7 = your minor triad plus the octave-minus-a-whole-tone note.

maj7 = 1 · 3 · 5 · 7 · m7 = 1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7

Cmaj7: C–E–G–B. Lower the B to B♭ and it becomes C7.

Practise this in the trainer — it opens with this lesson the first time the concept comes up.