How to practice 4 forms of dominant 7th chords logically

[Edspyhill05]

Hello all. What are some of the practice strategies and schemes for logically practicing the four forms/inversions of dominant 7th chords? I know to use the circle of fifths and tried practicing using the circle playing 7th chords located close together, but I can see practicing with inversions in mind would be extremely helpful.

Can anyone recommend a book or website that I can go to for this info?

Ed

 

[ripock]

I don't know if it is particularly logical, but I practice with blues progressions. Pick a key. Then play the I chord, and the dominant IV and V chord all up and down the neck using the 4 different inversions. Try it with all first inversion chords; try mixing up the inversions.

 

[Mike $]

I don't think you really need a book to practice this. You need to figure out the different inversions. I use shapes and when it's time to use a dom7 chord, I like to switch between two inversions as much as possible within the area of good taste. My favorite shapes for Bb, as an example are:
1211, 3545, 7868, and 10-10-10-11. just move these shapes up or downward to make any dom7 chord you want. You can use a metronome to help you practice switching shapes in time. Good luck.

 

[ripock]

Just as a follow-up, I'd like to add not to over-think this. On the one hand there are a lot of possibilities if you want to be silly and go from s second position chord to an eleventh position chord, but that's not going to sound very good. Viewed from the vantage point of musical practicality, you will find your options are rather constricted. So I would just practice something simple like the dominant to tonic transition that is so central to music, and I would practice it with each of the voicings. As you explore, you will find that for every dom7 voicing there is a nearby tonic (or whatever you choose) chord that is natural sounding. And once you discover these relationships in one key, it will be the same in other keys. The only difference will be another key will be higher of lower on the neck.

 

[Edspyhill05]

Here is the first take using circle of fifths. I'm starting to see small patterns, on the G and C strings, C and E strings. Starting with the C7 inversions and finding the following chords seems productive. I just might have to use this as a learning experience. I attached a pdf of 2 possible sequences. The uke is a low G tenor.

Thanks for comments.

 

[Edspyhill05]

Just as a follow-up, I'd like to add not to over-think this. On the one hand there are a lot of possibilities if you want to be silly and go from s second position chord to an eleventh position chord, but that's not going to sound very good. Viewed from the vantage point of musical practicality, you will find your options are rather constricted. So I would just practice something simple like the dominant to tonic transition that is so central to music, and I would practice it with each of the voicings. As you explore, you will find that for every dom7 voicing there is a nearby tonic (or whatever you choose) chord that is natural sounding. And once you discover these relationships in one key, it will be the same in other keys. The only difference will be another key will be higher of lower on the neck.

I am working through Fred Sokolow's "Understanding Chord Progressions for the Ukulele" and playing the songs in different keys is amazingly enlightening (how many times have I read that advice and ignored it). Works with "Be My Baby", illuminating secondary dominants. Working on generic rhythm changes and playing songs like "All of Me" in several keys, or "Honeysuckle Rose". Even playing "Country Roads" and blues progressions in several keys open my ears.

My idea to practice the dom7 chords may not bear fruit, but each pair is a new I-V (or IV-I in reverse) so it might be a bit of ear training. I also get to practice all dom7 chords across the strings.

Thank you.

 

[Edspyhill05]

I don't know if it is particularly logical, but I practice with blues progressions. Pick a key. Then play the I chord, and the dominant IV and V chord all up and down the neck using the 4 different inversions. Try it with all first inversion chords; try mixing up the inversions.

I wrote out an exercise doing this in all the keys but put it on hold while I worked on learning all the notes on the fretboard using triads. The I-IV-V opens up another horizon. I used the Circle/5ths, but didn't see the option to use one key at a time. In fact, following your advice I see the flaw in my first I-IV-V practice. Back to the drawing board.

Thank you.

 

[Edspyhill05]

I don't think you really need a book to practice this. You need to figure out the different inversions. I use shapes and when it's time to use a dom7 chord, I like to switch between two inversions as much as possible within the area of good taste. My favorite shapes for Bb, as an example are:
1211, 3545, 7868, and 10-10-10-11. just move these shapes up or downward to make any dom7 chord you want. You can use a metronome to help you practice switching shapes in time. Good luck.

I do that with triads. I found a practice playing I-IV-V triads on string sets. I am looking for a practice that shows the relationship between dom7 chords. Reading the comments is helping me see past my original mindset

 

[EDW]

Brad, who is a member and posts here has a good book that you might find helpful

ʻUkulele Chord Shapes

Unlock the fretboard of your ukulele using chord shapes! This detailed guidebook with teach you the method to finding over 2,000 chords using only 173 shapes. 55 pages.

liveukulele.com

 

[Brad Bordessa]

I didn't see this mentioned, but maybe I missed it. Chord inversions always have a set order as they progress up the neck. They recycle down the octave when you run out of fretboard room so that can make it hard to see, but if you know that 4544 always comes after 1112 and 6878 always comes after 4544, it might help organize things in your head.

Main thing is to force yourself to use them all in songs. Not all at once necessarily, but keep the content one step ahead of where you're comfortable and you'll have them memorized in no time.

 

[Mirek Tim Patek]

I didn't see this mentioned, but maybe I missed it. Chord inversions always have a set order as they progress up the neck. They recycle down the octave when you run out of fretboard room so that can make it hard to see, but if you know that 4544 always comes after 1112 and 6878 always comes after 4544, it might help organize things in your head.

During the process of learning the "set order" of the inversion (i.e. "now I play this inversion, what is the next one up the neck?") it helps me to visualise that the notes at the G&C pair of strings replicate three frets higher on the E&A pair. So e.g. after 2434 there shall be something with --57, i.e. that one: 6757.

 

[Mirek Tim Patek]

One can also add passing diminished chords between each inversion of dominant 7th chords.
I.e. alternate the C7 and Bdim7 inversions.

0001 - 1212 - 3433 - 4545 - 5767 - 7878 - 9,10,8,10 - 10,11,10,11

Search Barry Harris - he uses mainly major sixth diminished scales (alternation of C6 and Bdim7) and minor sixth diminished scales (Cm6 and Bdim7), but also dominant diminished scales (C7 and Bdim7) and 7 flat 5 diminished scales (C7b5 and Bdim7).

There is a book by Alan Kingstone The Barry Harris Harmonic Method for Guitar, and the charts on treble four strings are applicable to ukulele.