What is a Minor Seventh?

A minor seventh is a musical interval that represents the distance between two notes that are ten semitones apart. In Western music theory, this interval occurs when the second note is seven letter names higher than the first. For example, the distance between the notes C and B♭ forms a minor seventh.

The minor seventh has a slightly tense but still smooth sound and is widely used in many musical styles. It is a key component of dominant seventh chords, which are commonly used in blues, jazz, and many forms of popular music. For instance, a C7 chord contains the notes C, E, G, and B♭, with the interval between C and B♭ forming a minor seventh.

Minor sevenths also appear in melodies and scales, including the natural minor scale and mixolydian mode. Because of their expressive quality, they help create movement and tension that often resolves to other notes or chords. This interval plays an important role in harmony, chord progressions, and melodic writing across many genres of music.