7ths In Minor Key

This lesson deals with the same concepts as the first intermediate lesson, but in a minor key. The possible diatonic functions of seventh chords in a minor key are: i⁷, ii⁷, ii^o7, III⁷, III⁺⁷, iv⁷, IV⁷, v⁷, V⁷, VI⁷, vi^o7, VII⁷, vii^o7, and vii^o7. i⁷, ii⁷, iv⁷, and v⁷ are all minor seventh chords. III⁷, VI⁷ are major seventh chords. IV⁷, V⁷, and VII⁷ are dominant seventh chords. Note that the vii chord can be either half-diminished or fully-diminished. Even though the III⁺⁷ chord is diatonic, I will not include this chord in any progressions (this chord is an augmented triad with a major seventh on top, which is a less common chord type).

Borrowed chords are less common in minor keys since many of the chords from the parallel major key are also diatonic in minor (ii, IV, V, vii^o). The vi is the only triad I will borrow from major, and a few seventh chords may be altered to the diatonic major form (for instance, if you had a IV⁷ that was a major seventh instead of a dominant seventh chord).