Chord of the Seventh

[Rudy Mueller]

There is a discussion of the "chord of the seventh", with bass clef notes, in Kabatek, page 32. Kabatek also mentions that the "fifth" is often omitted.

Rudi

[kenbloom]

Normally when I have to use a V7 chord I hit the bass root and fifth and use the third and the flat seventh for the chord.Thus a G7 chord would have G in the bass and a B and an F in the accompaniment strings. Because the zither is rich in overtones, you can go about chord voicing the same way you would on the guitar, leaving out the fifth and very often the root and just picking out the most important notes to use in context. This works very well for minor seventh flat five chords and other similarly complex voicing. You don't need or even want all those extra notes as they will often just muddy things up.

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org

[Carmen]

Hi Rudi,
you always can just play a usual Major Chord instead of a Seventh. For example playing G instead of G7 in a C-Major part.

If you want to play a Seventh Chord, there is one hint I can share with you. (I did explain it in the MZZG2 lesson, but maybe before I started the recording)

Take C-Major for example: To accompany a C-Major part/tune you need C-Major (1st/Tonika/) and G-Major or G7 (5th/dominant).
Play your C-Major accompanyment in your 2nd (c+g) and 3rd finger (e) and put your fingers "around" those notes afterwards. You'll find yourself with your 2nd finger on f (1st red string) and your 3rd finger on b -> this is your accompanyment for your G7.
So "putting your fingers *around*" your 1st/Tonika Chord brings you to your Seventh chord.

I can try to take some pictures once we are home again.
Carmen

[Andy]

Hey Carmen,

Hope you and your family are doing well and staying dry! Sorry to hear about all the flooding that's going on.

Re: 7th Chords. Correct me if I'm wrong, but after going through the notes and looking it over, there may be an easier way to explain this. It seems like if you are trying to play a 7th Chord, you can start with the Major Chord, and move your first finger down three strings.

For example: If you wanted G7th, you would start with G-Major (Finger 1 on D, Finger 2 on B). Move your Finger 1 down three strings, from D to G to C to F. This results in Finger 1 on F and Finger 2 on B (which is G7th).
Same applies do D7th - Finger 2 stays on F#, Finger 1 moves down 3 from A to D to G to C. This results in Finger 1 on C and Finger 2 on F# (which is C7th).
And for C7th - Finger 2 stays on E, Finger 1 moves down 3 from G to C to F to Bb, resulting in Finger 1 on Bb and Finger 2 on E (which is C7th).

Your mileage may vary, but I find it easier to think this way, as it avoids a logical jump from C-Major to G7th.
Andy