Chord Shapes

Minor 7th Sharp 5

Intervals: 1-b3-#5-b7. A rare and ambiguous minor sonority produced by raising the 5th of a minor 7 chord. It often arises from chromatic voice-leading or as a re-spelling of other chords (for example as part of an altered dominant or diminished structure) rather than as a stable functional harmony in its own right. The #5 tends to resolve by step into a chord tone of the following harmony, so treat this chord as a colouristic passing or approach chord rather than a destination. It works in advanced reharmonisations where inner lines dictate the raised 5th.