Chord · 1 3 5 ♭7
Dominant seventh chord
A dominant seventh chord stacks a major third, then two minor thirds. In C it is C, E, G and B♭. Written C7.
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7
- Half steps from root
- 0 · 4 · 7 · 10
- Notes
- 4
How it sounds
Bluesy and restless. The third and the ♭7 form a tritone, which pulls toward the chord a fifth below, so G7 wants to go to C. In a basic 12-bar blues every chord is often played as a dominant seventh.
What’s inside
- 3: major third above the root
- 5: perfect fifth above the root
- ♭7: minor seventh above the root
On the guitar
E7 · 020100
Low E string to high E. An × means don’t play that string, an o means play it open.
Dominant seventh chords in every key
| Chord | Notes | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| C7 | C · E · G · B♭ | |
| D♭7 | D♭ · F · A♭ · C♭ | |
| D7 | D · F♯ · A · C | |
| E♭7 | E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭ | |
| E7 | E · G♯ · B · D | |
| F7 | F · A · C · E♭ | |
| F♯7 | F♯ · A♯ · C♯ · E | |
| G7 | G · B · D · F | |
| A♭7 | A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭ | |
| A7 | A · C♯ · E · G | |
| B♭7 | B♭ · D · F · A♭ | |
| B7 | B · D♯ · F♯ · A |
This chord is one of the answers in the game’s “Which seventh?” round.