Chord Shapes

Dominant 7th Sharp 5

Intervals: 1-3-#5-b7. Functionally a dominant built on an augmented triad. The raised 5th creates a strong urge to resolve upwards by semitone to the 3rd of the next chord, and the chord sits neatly inside the altered and whole-tone scales. In major keys it is often used as a V of I that feels particularly bright and “lifted”, or as a dominant that resolves deceptively (e.g. II7#5 moving to a different key centre). In endings, a II7#5–I cadence gives a hip, slightly unexpected resolution compared with a plain II–V–I. Think of the #5 as a melodic target for both chord tones and lines that resolve into the next harmony.