The minor seventh sharp fifth chord replaces the perfect fifth of m7 with an augmented fifth (1-♭3-♯5-♭7). It keeps the minor-seventh pull of ♭7 while the ♯5 adds a bright, unstable edge—somewhere between minor harmony and whole-tone shimmer. It is common in jazz and fusion as a color on static minor roots and in lines that borrow from melodic-minor and altered-scale thinking.
Construction
Formula: 1-♭3-♯5-♭7. In Cm7(♯5), a spelling might be C-E♭-G♯-B♭.
Usage
Altered minor vamps, passing chords between m7 and dominant-related sonorities, and cinematic pads that need minor darkness with raised-fifth sparkle.
Examples
- Fusion keyboard patches on minor grooves
- Jazz voicings that emphasize ♯5 on ii-type functions in modern harmony
- Film cues blending minor modality with augmented color
Play
Balance ♯5 against ♭7 to avoid excessive dissonance; omit the root in some ensembles to reduce mud.
Ear-training cues
Minor seventh sound with a widened fifth instead of a perfect fifth.
