Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
B7 piano chord (B dominant seventh)
B7 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.
B – D♯ – F♯ – A · tap any key to hear it
The notes of B7
B7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- B, the root
- D♯, the major third
- F♯, the fifth
- A, the minor seventh
D♯ and F♯ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on B, 2 on D♯, 3 on F♯, 5 on A.
- Left hand: 5 on B, 3 on D♯, 2 on F♯, 1 on A.
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 | B – D♯ – F♯ – A |
| 1st inversion | D♯ – F♯ – A – B |
| 2nd inversion | F♯ – A – B – D♯ |
| 3rd inversion | A – B – D♯ – F♯ |
Where B7 belongs
B7 is the V7 chord in E major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to E. In a 12-bar blues in B, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
B7 is B with a minor seventh, A, added on top. Bmaj7 has a major seventh instead (A♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
F♯m7 – B7 – Emaj7: ii – V – I in E 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 B7 chord?
B7 (B dominant seventh) is made of B, D♯, F♯ and A: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play B7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on B, 2 on D♯, 3 on F♯, 5 on A, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on B, 3 on D♯, 2 on F♯, 1 on A.
How is B7 different from the plain chord?
B7 is B with a minor seventh, A, added on top. Bmaj7 has a major seventh instead (A♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.