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Seventh Chords: Patterning



Goal: To hear, sing, and play seventh chords in root and inverted positions (major, minor, and dominant).


Out of Tempo

Speaking, singing, playing.

Beginning

  1. Teacher plays melodically all four positions of a major, minor, or dominant seventh chord.
  2. Teacher replays them in a different order and prompts, “Which order did I play them in?”
  3. Students identify the order.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher plays melodically all four positions of a major, minor, or dominant seventh chord (choosing two chords).
  2. Teacher replays them in a different order and prompts, “Which order did I play them in and which types did I play?”
  3. Students identify the order and type.

Advanced

  1. Teacher plays harmonically all four positions of a major, minor, or dominant seventh chord (choosing two).
  2. Teacher replays them in a different order and prompts, “Which order did I play them in and which types did I play?”
  3. Students identify the order and type.

In Tempo

Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, and tonality in two-four, three-four, four-four, or compound meter, one note per measure.

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up in a slow tempo, four-four time, and major or minor key and plays a major, minor, or dominant seventh chord, one chord position per measure.
  2. Teacher prompts, “Sing the inversions of the seventh chord, one note per measure, rotating up and down in the order, root position, first, second, third inversion."
  3. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up in a slow tempo, four-four time, and major/or minor key and plays a major, minor, or dominant seventh chord, one chord position per measure.
  2. Teacher prompts, “Sing the inversions of the seventh chord, one note per measure, rotating up and down in the order, root position, third, second, and first inversion."
  3. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up in a slow tempo, four-four time, and major/or minor key and plays a major, minor, or dominant seventh chord, one chord position per measure.
  2. Teacher prompts, “Sing the inversions of the seventh chord, two notes per measure, rotating up and down in the order, root position, third, second, first inversion."
  3. Students do so.