This game tests your ability to identify the 6 most common types of 7th chords! Unlike basic triads, 7th chords add an extra layer of harmonic color by adding a fourth note to the standard triads. This extra harmonic content gives us a whole new palette of sounds and emotions, and these are used in all kinds of genres from jazz and R&B, to classical.

We recommend starting with Major 7 and Dominant 7, as distinguishing between the major and minor 7th interval is a crucial first step.

Once you are in the game, press Begin Game to start. Use the generated answer buttons (or your keyboard's number keys) to answer. You can press Replay Chord or 'R' to listen again. Use Next or Spacebar to proceed.

A 7th chord is constructed by taking a standard triad (like a Major or Minor chord) and stacking an extra third on top, creating a 7th interval from the root. Here are the formulas for the chords in this game:

Major 7: Root + 4 semitones + 3 semitones + 4 semitones
Dominant 7: Root + 4 semitones + 3 semitones + 3 semitones
Minor 7: Root + 3 semitones + 4 semitones + 3 semitones
Diminished 7: Root + 3 semitones + 3 semitones + 3 semitones
Half-Diminished 7: Root + 3 semitones + 3 semitones + 4 semitones
Minor-Major 7: Root + 3 semitones + 4 semitones + 4 semitones

Listen for the emotional qualities of these chords. Major 7ths often sound dreamy or jazzy, Dominant 7ths sound bluesy and unresolved, Minor 7ths sound smooth and moody, Diminished chords sound tense and dramatic, and Minor-Major 7ths often have a mysterious, "spy movie" dissonance.