Dominent 7ths nowdays, (last 60 years anyway) (to me) can have at least 2 functions. One of them is as a tonal "color", not as a tension to go to the next chord.
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Double Bass Dominant 7ths?
- Thread starter Paps
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Yeah, if a piece isn't strictly following functional/tonal harmony it's very common for chords to be chosen more based on color or voice leading rather than function. Then, as mentioned before, there's song forms like the 12-bar blues where dominant 7th chords are totally tonic chords.
I'd say the last 110 years or so, since the standard traditional 12 bar blues is all 7th chords.
Agreed. I wish I had taken Piano
On the internet, is it required to remain on topic?
@Paps, my recommendation to you is to learn to play the piano, and learn to play all the scales in the circle of fifths - every major and all three forms of minor, 48 scales. Play each like it's a martial arts form (often called a "kata") that you practice until it's perfect because perfection of the fundamentals is a thing you can't substitute for. Then do the same on the double bass. On piano, I practice 4 octave scales, hands together, of course, until I can play them at my desired tempo at least three times in a row flawlessly and with such ease that I can carry on a conversation while I'm playing. Then do the same on the bass - my own bass playing isn't as good as my piano playing but I still wander up the neck, anyway. Certainly 2 octaves of every scale on the bass is a must.
When you can do that, the rest of the world of music theory, including an understanding of dominant 7th chords, will be within your reach. And there is no vehicle as good for understanding music theory as the piano.
And practice Dorian mode in different keys, too.
Agreed! I wish I had taken Piano when younger.
Can you think of any examples off the top of your head? I'd like to have a listen and see how that comes out.
Sure! That jazzy tonic sixth chord almost defines the KC style blues, and I love it. It's a jazzy sound, in contrast to Delta and Chicago-style. Sometimes the sixth leads into a seventh on its way to the subdominant, sometimes not.
Big Joe Turner's incredibly-great album "The Boss of the Blues" (with the great Pete Johnson on piano and some Basie sidemen) has several examples. Here's one, "Wee Baby Blues." If you want to skip to the final couple of verses, the horns hold a very clear sixth throughout, lending a plaintive tone:
Here's the Basie orchestra's classic "One O'Clock Jump." The piano and alto sax solos actually start by playing/emphasizing the sixth, and the iconic sax riff's ("dum-d-DAH" 5-4-6) fattest note is the sixth.
