LESSON ELEVEN
Seventh Arpeggios
One of the most important sounds in Rock, Funk, Blues and Jazz is the dominant seventh chord, usually just called the 7th chord. 7th chords consist of four notes which are the first (1), third (3), fifth (5) and flattened seventh (b7) notes of the major scale, so the chord formula for the seventh chord is:
A flattened seventh (b7) is created by lowering the seventh note of the major scale by one semitone. This is the same b7 note that is found in the Blues scale. Notice that the seventh chord is simply a major chord with a flattened seventh note added. The following example demonstrates a C7 arpeggio. Its notes are C (root), E (3rd), G (5th) and Bb (flattened 7th).
By using the formula 1 3 5 b7, it is possible to build a dominant 7th chord or arpeggio on any note of the chromatic scale. Here is a D7 arpeggio which consists of the notes D (root), F# (3rd), A (5th) and C (b7th).
Like everything else you have learned, it is important to be able to play 7th arpeggios in all keys. In the following example, the arpeggios are played downwards; i.e., R, b7, 5, 3, R.
Here is a typical R&B sax riff which is made up entirely of notes from the arpeggios of the chords D7, G7 and A7. These are chords built on the first, fourth and fifth notes in the key of D. Chords built on these notes are known as chords I, IV and V, which are the most common chords used in Blues and R&B songs as well as many 1950s and ’60s Rock and Roll songs.
