Why Seventh Chords Work

Let us understand why seventh chords work the way they do. Let us take for example C, E, G, Bb and that is going to lead us to a key. Now C is going to lead us to a key. Bryan said that this C7 chord is going to lead us to its seventh which is F, well that is wrong it does not lead us to the seventh which is F, it leads us to the first of the key which is F. If I go like this F, A, C, now we have to understand why does this C7 chord work so well going to this F? Well, we have this C right here, this C is going to lead us back to here to this C, that is how it works. This E is a half step interval it is going to lead us to this F. This A is going to lead us to this Bb, and then the G since the G is a fifth of the chord, because the G is the fifth of the chord, it really does not really create a harmonic movement. This C leads you to this C, this Bb the half step of the Bb pulls you down to this A and this E pulls you up to this F. So this tension between this E and this F and this Bb going to this A create so much movement, so much tension that you are going want to go back to that—big time. When I play this F or this C7, you are screaming to go back to the F. If you do not know, then now you know. That is why 7th chords work guys and now it is why you should use them. If you want to get really funky with it, add a ninth to the chord, add 11th to the chord, 13th make it suspended, you do not even have to know what the chord is. How about this chord? I do not know what it is.

That is how you get better guys, is that you try thing out, you experiment. Why the 7th chord work? Now, you know, tomorrow you will learn something else, next day you are going to learn something else. If you do not know, now you do and everyday we are learn new stuff. And everyday we are exploring, we are trying things out, find out what works. This is your daily music lesson with Walt. Thanks for tuning in. You guys rock


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