Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
B♭7 piano chord (B♭ dominant seventh)
B♭7 (also written A♯7) 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 B♭7
B♭7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- B♭, the root
- D, the major third
- F, the fifth
- A♭, the minor seventh
B♭ and A♭ 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 B♭7 belongs
B♭7 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.
B♭7 is B♭ with a minor seventh, A♭, added on top. B♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (A), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
Fm7 – B♭7 – E♭maj7: 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 B♭7 chord?
B♭7 (B♭ dominant seventh) is made of B♭, D, F and A♭: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play B♭7 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 B♭7 different from the plain chord?
B♭7 is B♭ with a minor seventh, A♭, added on top. B♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (A), which sounds softer and less bluesy.