{{about|the interval|the chord|Minor seventh chord}} {{Infobox Interval | main_interval_name = minor seventh | inverse = [[major second]] | complement = [[major second]] | other_names = flat seventh | abbreviation = m7, {{sup|{{music|b}}}}7 | semitones = 10 | interval_class = 2 | just_interval = 16:9<ref>{{harvp|Haluska|2003|p={{mvar|xxiv}}}} Pythagorean minor seventh.</ref> or 9:5<ref>{{cite book |last=Haluska |first=Jan |year=2003 |title=The Mathematical Theory of Tone Systems |page={{mvar|xxiii}} |ISBN=0-8247-4714-3 |section=Just minor seventh }}</ref> | cents_equal_temperament = 1000 | cents_24T_equal_temperament = | cents_just_intonation = 996 or 1018 }}In [[music theory]], a '''minor seventh''' is one of two [[interval (music)|musical interval]]s that span seven [[staff position]]s. It is ''minor'' because it is the smaller of the two sevenths, spanning ten [[semitone]]s. The [[major seventh]] spans eleven. For example, the interval from A{{sub|3}} to G{{sub|4}} (in [[scientific pitch notation]]) is a minor seventh, as the note G{{sub|4}} lies ten semitones above A{{sub|3}}, and there are seven staff positions from A{{sub|3}} to G{{sub|4}}. :<score sound> { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \time 4/4 \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 1 = 20 <a g'>1 } } </score> [[diminished seventh|Diminished]] and [[augmented seventh|augmented]] sevenths span the same number of staff positions, but consist of a different number of semitones (nine and twelve, respectively). == Use == Minor seventh intervals rarely feature in melodies (and especially in their openings) but occur more often than major sevenths{{According to whom|date=January 2023}}. A well-known example, in part due to its frequent use in theory classes, is found between the first two words of the phrase "There's a place for us" in the song "[[Somewhere (song)|Somewhere]]" in ''[[West Side Story]]''.<ref name=Neely>{{cite book |last=Neely |first=Blake |year=2009 |title=Piano for Dummies |page=201 |ISBN=0-470-49644-4 }}</ref> Another well-known example occurs between the first two notes of the introduction to the [[Theme from Star Trek|main theme music]] from ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' [[musical theme|theme]].<ref name=Contemporary>{{cite book |first1=Keith |last1=Wyatt |first2=Carl |last2=Schroeder |first3=Joe |last3=Elliott |year=2005 |title=Ear Training for the Contemporary Musician |ISBN=0-7935-8193-1 |page=69 }}</ref>

The most common occurrence of the minor seventh is built on the [[root (chord)|root]] of the prevailing [[key (music)|key]]'s [[dominant chord|dominant]] [[triad (music)|triad]], producing the all-important [[dominant seventh chord]].

During the ''[[common practice period]]'' the minor seventh was prescribed as a dissonance, requiring resolution to a consonance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Benward |last2=Saker |year=2003 |title=Music: In theory and practice |volume=I |page=53 |edition=7th |ISBN=978-0-07-294262-0 }}</ref>

==In other temperaments== [[Image:Minor seventh on C.png|thumb|Minor seventh {{audio|Minor seventh on C.mid|Play}} equal tempered or {{audio|Greater just minor seventh on C.mid|just}}.|175x175px]]In [[just intonation]] there is both a 16:9 "''lesser'' just minor seventh", also called the "Pythagorean small minor seventh",<ref name=Novel>{{cite journal |first=Eustace J. |last=Breakspeare |date=1886–1887 |title=On certain novel aspects of harmony |journal=Proceedings of the Musical Association |series=13th&nbsp;Session |pages=113-131, esp.&nbsp;119 }} <!-- Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Musical Association --> </ref>({{Audio|Lesser just minor seventh on C.mid|Play}}) equivalent to two perfect fourths stacked on top of each other, and 9:5, called the "''greater'' just minor seventh" ({{audio|Greater just minor seventh on C.mid|Play}})<ref>{{cite journal |first=Wilfrid |last=Perrett |date=1931–1932 |title=The heritage of Greece in music |journal=Proceedings of the Musical Association |series=58th&nbsp;Session |pages=85-103, esp.&nbsp;89 }} <!-- Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Musical Association --> </ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Partch |first=H. |author-link=Harry Partch |year=1979 |title=Genesis of a Music |title-link=Genesis of a Music |ISBN=0-306-80106-X |page=68 }}</ref> equivalent to a perfect fifth and a minor third on top of each other. An interval close in frequency is the [[harmonic seventh]]. ({{Audio|Harmonic_seventh_on_C.mid|Play}}) <ref>{{cite book |first=David |last=Dunn |year=2000 |title=Harry Partch: An anthology of critical perspectives |page=34 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kIKar6TykE4C&q=septimal+comma&pg=PA34 |via=Google }}</ref> {{Clear}}

==See also== * [[Minor seventh chord]] * [[Musical tuning]] * [[List of meantone intervals]] * [[Harmonic seventh]]

==References== {{reflist|25em}}

{{Intervals}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minor Seventh}} [[Category:Minor intervals]] [[Category:Sevenths (music)]]

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