Minor seventh: hear it in Somewhere and Star Trek
The minor seventh is 10 semitones. Play it, hear it in Somewhere (West Side Story) and the Star Trek theme, and tell it from the major sixth.
A minor seventh is 10 semitones, such as C up to B flat or D up to C. It is a wide, bluesy leap that feels unfinished: the rising minor seventh opens Somewhere from West Side Story and the original Star Trek theme.
Listen to a minor seventh
C to B♭: 10 semitones.
What does a minor seventh sound like?
Wide and expectant, a little bluesy. Played together it is the characteristic sound of dominant seventh and minor seventh chords: mildly dissonant, wanting to resolve.
Songs that start with a minor seventh
| Song | Direction | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Somewhere (West Side Story) | Up | the first two notes |
| Star Trek (original series theme) | Up | the first two notes of the melody |
Titles only. Each melody's opening was checked note by note; songs we were not sure of are left out.
How do you recognise a minor seventh by ear?
- Think of an octave and come down a whole step: that is the minor seventh.
- Add the minor seventh to a major chord and you get a dominant seventh (C E G B flat), the bluesy chord that wants to move.
- Minor seventh or major sixth? The seventh is one semitone wider and sounds more open-ended.
Quick test: minor seventh or not?
Four sounds. Each one is a minor seventh or one of the intervals people confuse it with. Listen, then pick.
Score: / 4 (your score updates as you answer)
The minor seventh on every note
Intervals are spelled by letter: a minor seventh always spans 7 letter names, which is why the top note is sometimes a sharp or a flat.
| From | Minor seventh up | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| C | B♭ | |
| D♭ | C♭ | |
| D | C | |
| E♭ | D♭ | |
| E | D | |
| F | E♭ | |
| F♯ | E | |
| G | F | |
| A♭ | G♭ | |
| A | G | |
| B♭ | A♭ | |
| B | A |
Minor seventh in numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 10 |
| Size on a piano (equal temperament) | 1000 cents |
| Pure (just) ratio | 16:9 = 996.1 cents |
| Piano vs pure | +3.9 cents |
| Inversion | Major second (2 semitones) |
Frequently asked questions
How many semitones are in a minor seventh?
Ten. For example C to B flat, D to C, or G to F.
What is the inversion of a minor seventh?
A major second: C up to B flat is a minor seventh, B flat up to the next C is a major second (10 + 2 = 12 semitones).
What is the difference between a minor seventh and a major seventh?
One semitone: the minor seventh is 10 semitones (C to B flat), the major seventh is 11 (C to B). The major seventh is much more tense, one half step below the octave.
What song starts with a minor seventh?
Somewhere from West Side Story and the original Star Trek theme both open with a rising minor seventh.