Voice Leading of the Dominant Seventh

Dr. Sebastian Anthony Birch

COMMON PROGRESSIONS USING THE DOMINANT SEVENTH

All of these progressions work in both major and minor

Root position: A complete V⁷ (sol ti re fa) resolves to an incomplete I (3 do's one mi/me) – It is possible to have a complete V7 resolve to a complete I by frustrating the leading tone (ti-sol in an inner voice)

V⁷	I
fa	Mi/me
re	do
ti	do
sol	do
Complete	Incomplete

Common usage:

IV or IV⁶		V⁷	I
II⁶
I			VI
II⁶ or IV or IV⁶	I

V⁷	I
fa	Mi/me
re	do
ti	sol Frustrate the LT
sol	do
Complete	Complete

V⁷	I
fa	Mi/me
sol	sol
ti	do
sol	do
Incomplete	Complete

First inversion – The complete V

resolves to a complete I chord

V	I
sol	sol
fa	mi/me
re	mi/me
ti	do

Common usage:
I - V

- I

Second inversion – The complete V Resolves to either I or I⁶

V	I	I⁶
ti	do	do
sol	sol	sol
fa	mi/me	mi/me
re	do	mi/me

Common usage:
I⁶ - V- I
I - V- I⁶

Third Inversion – The complete V

resolves to a I⁶

V	I⁶
re	Do/mi/me
ti	do
sol	sol
fa	mi/me

Common usage:
I - V

- I⁶V- V

- I⁶


	Email: sbirch@kent.edu