Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
C7 piano chord (C dominant seventh)
C7 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.
C – E – G – B♭ · tap any key to hear it
The notes of C7
C7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- C, the root
- E, the major third
- G, the fifth
- B♭, the minor seventh
B♭ is a black key, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach it without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on C, 2 on E, 3 on G, 5 on B♭.
- Left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E, 2 on G, 1 on B♭.
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 | C – E – G – B♭ |
| 1st inversion | E – G – B♭ – C |
| 2nd inversion | G – B♭ – C – E |
| 3rd inversion | B♭ – C – E – G |
Where C7 belongs
C7 is the V7 chord in F major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to F. In a 12-bar blues in C, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
C7 is C with a minor seventh, B♭, added on top. Cmaj7 has a major seventh instead (B), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7: ii – V – I in F 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 C7 chord?
C7 (C dominant seventh) is made of C, E, G and B♭: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play C7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on C, 2 on E, 3 on G, 5 on B♭, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E, 2 on G, 1 on B♭.
How is C7 different from the plain chord?
C7 is C with a minor seventh, B♭, added on top. Cmaj7 has a major seventh instead (B), which sounds softer and less bluesy.