Like triads, the pattern of scale tone 7th chord types remains the same for every key. The pattern is summarized below. The minor 7 flat 5 chord is also sometimes called a half diminished chord (N7).
The following chart shows scale tone 7th chords in all keys. If you intend to play Jazz, or any kind of Fusion music, it is essential to memorize all these chords. Work through each key and then take a simple progression and play it in every key. Then try a longer progression, then a song containing the various 7th chord types. The more you do this, the easier it gets.
Here are the seven modes derived from the C major scale played against the seven scale tone seventh chords from the key of C major. If possible, record yourself playing the chords and then play the modes along with the recording, listening carefully to the combination this produces. Once you can do this from memory, try improvising over the chords, remembering to move to the new mode each time the chord changes.
Because each seventh chord contains four notes of the mode it relates to, modes work extremely well over seventh chords. Listen to the sound of the following line using the D Dorian mode over a Dm7 chord. Try playing some of the other examples you have learnt against seventh chords as well as experimenting and creating some of your own melodies with modes. The more familiar you become with modes, the more you realise how often they are used by everyone from Metal guitarists, to Jazz horn players, to Classical composers.
Here are some examples which move between different modes along with the chord changes. Example 69.0 is a 2 5 1 progression, which is common in Jazz. This progression is dealt with in more detail in lesson 40.
This one uses a 1 6 2 5 1 progression, and moves between four modes – C Ionian, A Aeolian, D Dorian and G Mixolydian. This is not as complicated as it sounds, because they are all derived from the C Major Scale.
Here is the previous example transposed to the key of F. Make a habit of transposing every new thing you learn to all twelve keys, as well as playing it in as many places as possible on the fretboard within the one key.