Beginner impro Why are dominant 7th chords called dominant?

[cappers]

I am trying to get my head around chords!

I think I understand Major 7th construction: major chord arpeggio 1,3,5 + 7, whereas the Dominant 7th has a flattened 7th so 1,3,5 + 7b.

CMaj7: C E G B ->** EDom7: CDom7 or more correctly C7: C E G Bb (Thanks @PiccoloPirate)
DMaj7: D F# A C# -> DDom7: D F# A C
EMaj7: E G# B D# -> EDom7 E G# B D
etc

My question is why is it named 'dominant'? I believe the 7th is a 'leading tone', so is the 'dominance' the fact that it needs to resolve down to sound correct? Also can it resolve up instead?

Thank you.

** edited to correct typo

 

[LostCircuits]

I am trying to get my head around chords!

I think I understand Major 7th construction: major chord arpeggio 1,3,5 + 7, whereas the Dominant 7th has a flattened 7th so 1,3,5 + 7b.

CMaj7: C E G B ->** EDom7: CDom7 or more correctly C7: C E G Bb (Thanks @PiccoloPirate)
DMaj7: D F# A C# -> DDom7: D F# A C
EMaj7: E G# B D# -> EDom7 E G# B D
etc

My question is why is it named 'dominant'? I believe the 7th is a 'leading tone', so is the 'dominance' the fact that it needs to resolve down to sound correct? Also can it resolve up instead?

Thank you.

** edited to correct typo

No, you are not correct. It is named Dominant because Joseph Fétis named it as that.
The dominant 7 is a "perfect 5th" above the root with a natural 7 (over the fifth), meaning it stays in the root scale.
Cmajor scale: Dominant7 = C+5 = G + 7 in the C scale => G7

 

[LostCircuits]

A different angle: Imagine a keyboard with only white keys.
So the only key you can play in is the C-scale (as in sea-food)
The dominant 7 chord starts on the dominant note which is the 5th or G as in Go for the tone (Sorry @Dr G but I ran out of ideas) and because the keyboard only has white keys, the 7th over G is F.

 

[mizmar]

Blimey, Guido of Arezzo would be turning in his grave...
... If his grave had internet, he was interested in saxophone, read English and subscribed to Cafe Saxophone... But, if so, he would... And Al-Kindi would be giggling

 

[LostCircuits]

Interestingly, Google the Dominant 7 and this thread is #1

 

[cappers]

No, you are not correct. It is named Dominant because Joseph Fétis named it as that.
The dominant 7 is a "perfect 5th" above the root with a natural 7 (over the fifth), meaning it stays in the root scale.
Cmajor scale: Dominant7 = C+5 = G + 7 in the C scale => G7

A different angle: Imagine a keyboard with only white keys.
So the only key you can play in is the C-scale (as in sea-food)
The dominant 7 chord starts on the dominant note which is the 5th or G as in Go for the tone (Sorry @Dr G but I ran out of ideas) and because the keyboard only has white keys, the 7th over G is F.

@LostCircuits Thank you but you are responding to the original post that was 9 pages ago!

It has all been explained, and believe it or not I do understand now.
Thank you.

 

[LostCircuits]

@LostCircuits Thank you but you are responding to the original post that was 9 pages ago!

It has all been explained, and believe it or not I do understand now.
Thank you.

The post I was responding to was the top post on page 9 - But I did not realize that the original post keeps being the header for all subsequent pages. My bad, I never realized this and haven't seen it on any other forum either, hence the confusion/redundancy.

 

[mizmar]

The post I was responding to was the top post on page 9 - But I did not realize that the original post keeps being the header for all subsequent pages. My bad, I never realized this and haven't seen it on any other forum either, hence the confusion/redundancy.

"New Thread" gives an Ask Question option which, requires one specific answer... In which case the Question is repeated and the Vote button appears below each post. A resounding success in this case.

Interestingly, Google the Dominant 7 and this thread is #1

9 pages without deviation, I guess...
.... And to all my fans out there In Google land, I love you and couldn't have done it without you. And thanks to my supporting contributors, particularly the Petes, and the faithful cappers 🏆💐

 

[Targa]

9 pages without deviation, I guess...

Though there was hesitation and repetition.
Maybe it was just a minuet.

 

[cappers]

Though there was hesitation and repetition.
Maybe it was just a minuet.

Thank you Nicolas!