The dominant 7th chord is one of the most important sounds in music because it creates strong tension that naturally wants to resolve back to the home chord, helping establish and confirm the key. You’ll hear it everywhere in blues, jazz, pop, and gospel because it drives progressions forward and gives music direction. As you listen, focus on the unstable feeling inside the chord, especially the tritone between the 3rd and 7th, and notice how your ear expects it to move down a fifth to resolve. Pay attention to where the music finally feels “at rest,” because that resolution reveals the key center.

For best results, repeated listening and headphones or earbuds are recommended to really internalize the feeling of the chord.

As always, keep practicing, and try to have fun!

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This episode focuses on perfect fourth intervals, played in all 12 keys to help you hear their stable, open sound across different tonal centers. Like the other sessions, this is meant to be repeated listening, let it run in the background or during focused practice until the sound of the perfect fourth feels natural and easy to recognize. More interval training and music-focused episodes coming soon.

For best results listen with headphones

Develop your interval recognition by listening to major third intervals played through every key. This session is meant to be played on repeat to help you fully internalize the bright, defining sound of the major third. Return to it regularly, and look out for future episodes covering more intervals and ear training materials.

Listen with headphones for best results.