Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
D♭7 piano chord (D♭ dominant seventh)
D♭7 (also written C♯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.
D♭ – F – A♭ – C♭ · tap any key to hear it
The notes of D♭7
D♭7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- D♭, the root
- F, the major third
- A♭, the fifth
- C♭, the minor seventh
D♭ and A♭ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching. C♭ is played on the key B; it's written C♭ so that every letter is used once.
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 D♭7 belongs
D♭7 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.
D♭7 is D♭ with a minor seventh, C♭, added on top. D♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (C), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
A♭m7 – D♭7 – G♭maj7: 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 D♭7 chord?
D♭7 (D♭ dominant seventh) is made of D♭, F, A♭ and C♭: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play D♭7 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 D♭7 different from the plain chord?
D♭7 is D♭ with a minor seventh, C♭, added on top. D♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (C), which sounds softer and less bluesy.