Chord Progressions with Major Sixth, Minor Sixth, and Diminished Seventh Chords

In this lesson, we’ll explore chord progressions using major sixth, minor sixth, and diminished seventh chords. Previously, you learned how to build and invert these chords. Now, we’ll use them to create functional and expressive progressions.

Seventh Chords in the Major Scale

We’ve covered how each note in a major scale corresponds to major, minor, or diminished chords. With the addition of half-diminished chords (min7♭5) from earlier lessons, we can now complete the seventh chords for the entire scale:

Example in C Major:

Practice Exercises

Play the seventh chords for the following major scales:

1. C Major
2. F Major
3. Bb Major
4. Eb Major
5. Ab Major
6. Db Major

The ii ➔ V ➔ I Progression with Diminished Substitutions

You’ve learned the classic ii ➔ V ➔ I progression using minor, dominant, and major seventh chords:

• C Major: Dmin7 (ii) ➔ G7 (V) ➔ Cmaj7 (I).

We’ll now introduce an advanced variation using diminished chords.

Secondary Diminished Chords for V

A secondary diminished chord (e.g., #IVdim7) can replace the traditional ii minor seventh chord to create tension.

• In C Major, the #IVdim7 chord is F#dim7 (built on the raised 4th degree).
• This chord resolves to the V7 chord (G7) by descending a half-step.

Example in C Major:
F#dim7 ➔ G7 ➔ Cmaj7

Overlaying the IV Major Triad on V Bass

Another approach is to play the IV major triad over the V bass note:

• In C Major, play Fmaj/G (F major triad over G bass).
• This creates a G7sus4 sound, resolving smoothly to Cmaj7.

Example:
Fmaj/G ➔ G7 ➔ Cmaj7

Key Takeaways

• Diminished substitutions (e.g., #IVdim7) add chromatic tension to traditional progressions.
• Overlaid triads (e.g., IV over V bass) create rich harmonic textures.
• Experiment with these techniques to modernize classic progressions like ii ➔ V ➔ I.

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  Piano.Chart: D/F#dim7, G/Fmaj, Cmaj7/C

You can also use a half-diminished chord instead of a diminished seventh chord to create a more "happy" feel.

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  Piano.Chart: D/F#m7b5, G/Fmaj, Cmaj7/C

Using Diminished Seventh Chords as Transitional Chords

You learned how to transition from the I chord to the V chord. Here, we’ll use diminished chords to create smooth transitions between chords, such as leading into a minor seventh chord before resolving to a dominant seventh (V7).

Example Progression: I ➔ ii ➔ V

• C Major:
  Cmaj7 ➔ C#dim7 (transition) ➔ Dmin7 (ii) ➔ G7 (V).

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  Piano.Chart: Cmaj7, Dbdim7, Dm7, G7

Key Insight:

• The Bdim7 chord acts as a chromatic bridge to Dmin7, even though it doesn’t belong to the C Major scale.
• Raising the root of the I chord (C) by a half-step creates C#dim7, which resolves smoothly to Dmin7.

Variation:

• The diminished chord can also be placed over the vi chord to lead into the ii chord:
  Am7 (vi) ➔ Bdim7/Am ➔ Dmin7 (ii).

Extended Progression: vii° ➔ iii ➔ vi ➔ ii ➔ V ➔ I

This progression uses secondary dominants and diminished chords to create continuous tension and resolution:

• Example of C Major:
  Bø7 (vii°) ➔ E7 (secondary dominant of iii) ➔ Amin7 (vi) ➔ D7 (secondary dominant of ii) ➔ G7 (V) ➔ Cmaj7 (I).

Breakdown:

1. Bø7 resolves to E7 (mediant’s dominant).
2. E7 resolves to Amin7.
3. Amin7 transitions to D7 (supertonic’s dominant).
4. D7 resolves to G7.
5. G7 resolves to Cmaj7.

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  Piano.Chart: Bm7b5, E7, Am7, D7, G7, CMaj7

Diminished Chords in Gospel and Jazz

Diminished chords are widely used in gospel and jazz to create chromatic motion.

Common Techniques:

1. Diminished ➔ Dominant Resolution:

   • Cdim7 ➔ C7 (with C in the bass).
   • Creates tension by “darkening” the dominant chord.

2. IV7 ➔ #IVdim7 ➔ I:

   • F7 ➔ F#dim7 ➔ Cmaj/G.
   • The bassline ascends chromatically: F → F# → G (IV ➔ #IV ➔ V).

Key Takeaways

• Diminished chords act as chromatic pivots, bridging unrelated chords.
• Use them to add tension before resolving to minor or dominant chords.
• Experiment with bassline chromaticism (e.g., F → F# → G) for gospel/jazz flair.