Part 8: Add the seventh, one ingredient at a time · Lesson 074 / 117
Hear V7 return to I
Separate chord quality from harmonic function.
In C major, G7 is the chord on degree 5 and can function as V7 leading to I, C. Its notes are G–B–D–F. A simple resolution moves B up to C and F down to E.
Play just B–C, then F–E, while listening to G7–C. Each voice moves by a semitone into a C-major chord tone. This gives you a concrete explanation for part of the harmonic movement.
“Dominant seventh” can name a chord quality, while “dominant” can also describe a fifth-degree harmonic function. A chord with dominant-seventh quality is not automatically functioning as V7 in every context. Later, a blues tonic may itself have this quality.
Keep the current example unambiguous: G7 to C in C major. Naming its function requires knowing the key and hearing the relationship, not just spotting a 7 in the symbol.
Hear it
G7 C
Audio fileFour-beat count-in · 60 BPM · Warm sampled electric guitar. Listen once before playing along.
A concrete example
G7(V7) → C(I). Guide movements: B→C and F→E. In F major, the corresponding V7→I is C7→F.
Try it, slowly
- Listen to G7–C.
- Play B→C while the harmony changes.
- Play F→E in a separate pass and explain both semitone movements.
Check one idea
Is C7 always the tonic chord because its root is C?
Show the explanation
No. In F major, C7 can function as V7. A chord root alone does not identify the piece's tonic.
A good place to stop
You can name quality and function separately in a simple V7–I example.
Return to the example after a short break. A clear explanation matters more than speed.