Minor-Major Seventh Chord
A minor-major seventh chord combines a minor triad with a major seventh. CmMaj7 contains C, E flat, G and B. It occurs on the tonic of harmonic and jazz melodic minor and often supports chromatic voice leading around its major seventh.
- 1-flat 3-5-7
- minor triad
- major seventh
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Which notes are in CmMaj7?
Use the formula 1-flat 3-5-7:
- C: root
- E flat: minor third
- G: perfect fifth
- B: major seventh
Symbols include CmMaj7, Cm(maj7) and C minor major 7.
How do you build it?
Start with C minor, C-E flat-G, and add B, eleven semitones above C.
The chord contains both the minor third C-E flat and major seventh C-B.
Transpose the formula carefully. AmMaj7 is A-C-E-G sharp.
Where does it occur in harmonic minor?
C harmonic minor is C-D-E flat-F-G-A flat-B.
Stack degrees 1, 3, 5 and 7 to get C-E flat-G-B: CmMaj7.
The raised seventh B also supports G or G7 as dominant harmony. Harmonic minor therefore links tonic color and dominant function through the same altered degree.
Where does it occur in melodic minor?
C jazz melodic minor is C-D-E flat-F-G-A-B.
Its tonic seventh chord is also CmMaj7. The natural sixth A provides different extensions from harmonic minor's A flat.
Check whether the context uses natural 6 or flat 6 before choosing melodic material over the chord.
What is the difference from Cm7?
Cm7 is C-E flat-G-B flat. CmMaj7 raises B flat to B.
The one-semitone change turns the root-to-seventh interval from minor to major.
Both chords retain the minor third, so the m in the symbol still describes the triad.
How does it compare with Cmaj7?
Cmaj7 is C-E-G-B. CmMaj7 lowers E to E flat.
Both contain the major seventh B. The third changes the underlying triad quality.
Compare the guide-tone pairs E-B and E-flat-B while keeping C and G fixed.
How does it work in a descending line?
Hold C-E flat-G and move the fourth voice:
C, B, B flat, A
The harmonies can be heard as Cm, CmMaj7, Cm7 and Cm6, depending on voicing and whether the upper C is present at the start.
This line appears in jazz, film, popular and classical harmony because each chromatic step keeps the minor triad fixed.
Does the major seventh have to resolve?
B lies one semitone below C and may rise to C.
It can also descend to B flat in a chromatic line or remain as a sustained chord tone.
Register, duration and following harmony determine the voice leading. The chord name does not prescribe one mandatory destination.
How should you voice it?
Keep E flat and B because they define the mixed qualities.
Separate B from a nearby upper C in low registers when the semitone becomes too dense. An open voicing C-G-E-flat-B can clarify the root and guide tones.
The fifth G can be omitted when space is limited.
Which scales fit it?
C harmonic minor fits CmMaj7 with A flat. C melodic minor fits it with A natural.
Both include D and the four chord tones. The sixth degree is the key difference.
Choose from the melody, next chord and desired voice leading rather than from the chord symbol alone.
How should you practice it?
Build Cm7 and raise B flat to B.
Compare CmMaj7 with Cmaj7 by changing E flat to E. Then compare CmMaj7 with Cm6 by moving B to A.
Play the descending line C-B-B-flat-A above a held C-minor triad and name each structure.