Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
A7 piano chord (A dominant seventh)
A7 is a dominant seventh chord with 4 notes. It sounds bluesy and restless, as if it wants to move on. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.
A – C♯ – E – G · tap any key to hear it
The notes of A7
A7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- A, the root
- C♯, the major third
- E, the fifth
- G, the minor seventh
C♯ is a black key, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach it without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on A, 2 on C♯, 3 on E, 5 on G.
- Left hand: 5 on A, 3 on C♯, 2 on E, 1 on G.
Press every key at exactly the same moment, with the same weight. If one note sounds louder or a fraction late, the chord sounds uneven: play it slowly and listen for one sound.
Inversions
An inversion is the same notes in a different order, with a different note at the bottom. Inversions let you move between chords without jumping around the keyboard.
| Position | Notes, bottom to top |
|---|---|
| Root position | A – C♯ – E – G |
| 1st inversion | C♯ – E – G – A |
| 2nd inversion | E – G – A – C♯ |
| 3rd inversion | G – A – C♯ – E |
Where A7 belongs
A7 is the V7 chord in D major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to D. In a 12-bar blues in A, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
A7 is A with a minor seventh, G, added on top. Amaj7 has a major seventh instead (G♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
Em7 – A7 – Dmaj7: ii – V – I in D major, the most important progression in jazz.
Playing it, but it doesn't sound right? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a chord that's uneven. Then it shows you how it should go.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the A7 chord?
A7 (A dominant seventh) is made of A, C♯, E and G: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play A7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on A, 2 on C♯, 3 on E, 5 on G, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on A, 3 on C♯, 2 on E, 1 on G.
How is A7 different from the plain chord?
A7 is A with a minor seventh, G, added on top. Amaj7 has a major seventh instead (G♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.