1. Melodic, Harmonic, and Rhythmic Dictation
  2. Module 7: Seventh Chords

Module 7: Seventh Chords

In tonal music, a seventh can be added to any chord without changing its function, although the chord’s resonant sound and desire towards resolution will change.

a. Singing and Hearing Seventh Chords Acontextually

This section has not been built yet and will be launched in 2022.

b. Dominant Seventh Chords in Root Position

Melody 7-b1

  1. Listen to the following pitch pattern.
  2. Listen to the pitch pattern again. Determine the number of pitches.
    3. 10
  3. The pitch pattern is in the key of E major. The first pitch is first line E in the treble clef. Listen and notate the pitch pattern.
    4. Melody_7-b1a

Melody 7-b2

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 4/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 8
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-b2b
  5. The key signature is F major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Treble clef, F first space
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-b2a

Melody 7-b3

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. Cut time
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 8
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-b3b
  5. The key signature is B minor. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, D third line
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-b3a

Melody 7-b4

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 6/8
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 8
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-b4b
  5. The key signature is C minor. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, C second space
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-b4a

Melody 7-b5

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 4/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 5
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-b5b
  5. The key signature is A major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Treble clef, A second space
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-b5a

Harmonic Progression 7b-1

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of D major and consists of 9 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7b-1

c. Dominant Seventh Chords in Inversion

Melody 7-c1

  1. Listen to the following pitch pattern.
  2. Listen to the pitch pattern again. Determine the number of pitches.
    3. 10
  3. The pitch pattern is in the key of C major. The first pitch is middle C in the treble clef. Listen and notate the pitch pattern.
    4. Melody_7-c1a

Melody 7-c2

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 4/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 9
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-c2b
  5. The key signature is E-flat major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Treble clef, G second line
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-c2a

Melody 7-c3

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 6/8
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 10
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-c3b
  5. The key signature is F minor. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, F fourth line
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-c3a

Melody 7-c4

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 3/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 12
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-c4b
  5. The key signature is A major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, A first space
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-c4a

Melody 7-c5

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 2/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 16
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-c5b
  5. The key signature is E-flat minor. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Treble clef, G-flat second line
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-c5a

Harmonic Progression 7c-1

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of E major and consists of 9 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-1

Harmonic Progression 7c-2

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of A-flat major and consists of 11 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-2

Harmonic Progression 7c-3

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of C minor and consists of 10 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-3

Harmonic Progression 7c-4

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of F minor and consists of 7 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-4

Harmonic Progression 7c-5

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of E-flat major and consists of 9 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-5

Harmonic Progression 7c-6

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of C major and consists of 11 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-6

Harmonic Progression 7c-7

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of D minor and consists of 10 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-7

Harmonic Progression 7c-8

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of B-flat Major and consists of 12 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7c-8

d. Minor Seventh Chords

Melody 7-d1

  1. Listen to the following pitch pattern.
  2. Listen to the pitch pattern again. Determine the number of pitches.
    3. 10
  3. The pitch pattern is in the key of F# minor. The first pitch is first space F# in the treble clef. Listen and notate the pitch pattern.
    4. Melody_7-d1a

Melody 7-d2

  1. Listen to the following melody.
    2. 6/8
  2. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    3. 8
  3. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    4. Melody_7-d2b
  4. The key signature is B-flat major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    5. Treble clef, B-flat below the staff
  5. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    6. Melody_7-d2a

Melody 7-d3

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 4/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 8
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-d3b
  5. The key signature is A-flat minor. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Treble clef, A-flat below the staff
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-d3a

Melody 7-d4

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 6/8
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 8
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-d4b
  5. The key signature is B minor. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, B second line
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-d4a

Melody 7-d5

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 2/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 9
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-d5b
  5. The key signature is D-flat major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, D-flat above the staff
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-d5a

Harmonic Progression 7d-1

  1. Listen to the following rhythm.
  2. The progression is in the key of A Major and consists of 11 chords. Listen to the progression, then write the soprano line, the bass line, and provide a Roman numeral analysis.
    3. Harmonic_7d-1

e. Half-Diminished Seventh Chords

This section has not been built yet and will be launched in 2022.

f. Fully-Diminished Seventh Chords

This section has not been built yet and will be launched in 2022.

g. Major Seventh Chords

Melody 7-g1

  1. Listen to the following pitch pattern.
  2. Listen to the pitch pattern again. Determine the number of pitches.
    3. 10
  3. The pitch pattern is in the key of B-flat minor. The first pitch is second line B-flat in the bass clef. Listen and notate the pitch pattern.
    4. Melody_7-g1a

Melody 7-g2

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 3/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 8
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-g2b
  5. The key signature is E major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, E third space
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-g2a

Melody 7-g3

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 3/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 9, quarter note anacrusis
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-g3b
  5. The key signature is C-sharp major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Treble clef, G-sharp second line
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-g3a

Melody 7-g4

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 2/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 6
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-g4b
  5. The key signature is E major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, E third space
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-g4a

Melody 7-g5

  1. Listen to the following melody.
  2. Name the time signature.
    3. 4/4
  3. Listen to the melody again. Determine the number of measures.
    4. 8
  4. Listen again. Notate only the rhythm above the staff.
    5. Melody_7-g5b
  5. The key signature is A-flat major. Determine the clef and starting pitch.
    6. Bass clef, A-flat first space
  6. Listen again. Notate the melody.
    7. Melody_7-g5a
  1. Begin by taking a rhythmic dictation of your melody (see steps above). Figure out where things happen before you try to figure out what happens.
  2. Listen for and identify the tonic. If the melody modulates, listen for indications of each tonal area (usually you can listen for dominant sounds).
  3. Identify important scale degrees along the way by writing their numbers above the notes on your rhythmic dictation. Mark chromatic notes. These may include longer notes, notes on cadences, the first note, the last note, etc. Be sure to listen to pitches as scale degrees, using your scale degree patterns to verify what you think you hear.
  4. Listen for how the “important” scale degrees (from step 3 above) are approached and left. Listen also for groups of notes that form identifiable structures such as triads, seventh chords, etc.
  5. Once you have labeled your rhythm with scale degrees, transcribe this into standard notation on a staff.
  6. Double check your answer by singing what you have written and comparing it to what you remember.
  1. Begin by taking a rhythmic dictation for the melody as described above.
  2. Listen for repeating pitches or pitches that are close to known pitches, even if (especially if) they are separated by only a few pitches. Listen for embedded chromatic lines in the melody.
  3. Listen for characteristic intervals. For example, many melodies will use a particular interval repeatedly. Try to find all instances of that interval wherever it occurs.