Chord Shapes

Minor Major 7th

Intervals: 1-b3-5-7. The tonic 7th chord of the harmonic and melodic minor scales. It combines a minor triad with a major 7th, producing a strongly expressive, film-noir quality: the major 7th acts as a leading tone against the minor tonic. In jazz standards and film themes this chord is used to signal a dramatic or exotic minor key centre (e.g. in “Black Orpheus”, “Invitation”, “In a Sentimental Mood”). The 7th typically resolves upwards in melodic lines, while the minor 3rd and 5th pull downwards, creating internal tension even when the chord functions as i. Melodic minor is the natural scale choice, and extensions such as 9 or 6/9 intensify its sophisticated mood.