Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
D7 piano chord (D dominant seventh)
D7 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.
D – F♯ – A – C · tap any key to hear it
The notes of D7
D7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- D, the root
- F♯, the major third
- A, the fifth
- C, the minor seventh
F♯ is a black key, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach it without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on D, 2 on F♯, 3 on A, 5 on C.
- Left hand: 5 on D, 3 on F♯, 2 on A, 1 on C.
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 | D – F♯ – A – C |
| 1st inversion | F♯ – A – C – D |
| 2nd inversion | A – C – D – F♯ |
| 3rd inversion | C – D – F♯ – A |
Where D7 belongs
D7 is the V7 chord in G major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to G. In a 12-bar blues in D, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
D7 is D with a minor seventh, C, added on top. Dmaj7 has a major seventh instead (C♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7: ii – V – I in G 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 D7 chord?
D7 (D dominant seventh) is made of D, F♯, A and C: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play D7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on D, 2 on F♯, 3 on A, 5 on C, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on D, 3 on F♯, 2 on A, 1 on C.
How is D7 different from the plain chord?
D7 is D with a minor seventh, C, added on top. Dmaj7 has a major seventh instead (C♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.