the 7 notes over the 1 chord (notes in the 1 chord: 1, 3 & 5)

• play the 7 notes one at a time over the 1 chord, noticing how they each sound
• notice that the notes that are in the chord - the 1, 3 & 5 notes - sound the most calm
• play the 2, 6 & 7 notes one at a time over the 1 chord
  • they sound less calm but (to me, at least) not very tense
• play the 4 note over the 1 chord
  • it sounds very tense to most people

note    tension
1       lowest (it's in the chord)
3       lowest (it's in the chord)
5       lowest (it's in the chord)
6       low (think of the first "you" in Sam Cooke's "You Send Me")
2       medium
7       medium
4       very high