Minor 7th

General info

Name

Minor 7th

Quality

Minor

Degree distance

7 degrees

Semitones

10

Short description

Ten semitones. Creates a sense of incompleteness. Characteristic of blues and jazz harmony.

Interval structure

Lower note

Root

Upper note

Minor seventh (b7)

Degree formula

II10 stVIIbVIIb

Semitone formula

10 semitones (5 whole tones)

Interval construction

Interval formula

m7

How it's built

From the root, move up by ten semitones (five whole tones, ten frets on guitar).

Brief explanation

The minor 7th is the inversion of the major 2nd. A mild dissonance with a "bluesy" character, the foundation of dominant 7th and minor 7th chords.

How the interval sounds

Sound character

The minor 7th sounds mildly tense, with a "bluesy" and unresolved quality. It creates a sense of an "unanswered question" — the sound wants to move forward. In blues and jazz, the minor 7th is a key sonic element. The character is warm, slightly "gritty," with movement potential.

Consonance / dissonance

Explanation

The minor 7th is a mild dissonance. It is far enough from the octave (by 2 semitones) to create tension, but not as sharp as the major 7th. In jazz, the minor 7th is perceived almost as consonance — its sound is that familiar in the style.

Tendencies & resolutions

Behavior

The minor 7th tends to resolve — most often downward to a 6th (one note descends by a half step or whole step). In a dominant 7th chord (G7), the minor 7th (F) resolves down to the tonic's 3rd (E in C major). It can also resolve to the octave, rising by two semitones.

Harmonic context

Context

The minor 7th is a key interval of dominant 7th (7), minor 7th (m7), half-diminished (m7b5), and augmented 7th (aug7) chords. In the Mixolydian mode, b7 is a characteristic degree. In blues and rock 'n' roll, the minor 7th creates "drive." In jazz, 7th chords are the basic "currency" of harmony.

Interval inversion

Interval from every note