A seventh chord is drawn on the staff, in one of its four positions. Your task is to identify its type: dominant seventh, half-diminished (leading-tone) seventh or diminished seventh.
The three types of seventh chord
| Type | Symbol | Structure above the root |
|---|---|---|
| Dominant seventh | V7 | M3 + P5 + m7 |
| Half-diminished (leading-tone) seventh | ø7 | m3 + d5 + m7 |
| Diminished seventh | °7 | m3 + d5 + d7 |
How to recognize each position
Look for the interval of a second among the notes: its position tells you the inversion (between the top two notes: first inversion; between the middle notes: second inversion; between the two lowest notes: third inversion). If there is no second, the chord is in root position. The root is the upper note of the second.
Exercise
How to use the exercise: Choose one of the three possible types and press Check. The app corrects your answer right away and, if you miss, shows the correct one.
Other positions: Root position, First inversion, Second inversion, Third inversion. To practice writing them instead of recognizing them, try building seventh chords. For the full theory, see the pages on the dominant seventh, the half-diminished seventh and the diminished seventh.
Printable worksheet (PDF)
The same exercise on paper, for class: 21 seventh chords with all four positions mixed, mixing dominant, leading-tone and diminished, on one side of A4. The student writes the type and the position. With a separate answer sheet.
Download the worksheet (PDF, A4) Answers
You may print and photocopy it freely for the classroom.
More worksheets
Need more practice on paper? Generate as many worksheets as you like, each one with different chords, and print them straight from your browser.