Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
E7 piano chord (E dominant seventh)
E7 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.
E – G♯ – B – D · tap any key to hear it
The notes of E7
E7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- E, the root
- G♯, the major third
- B, the fifth
- D, the minor seventh
G♯ is a black key, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach it without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on E, 2 on G♯, 3 on B, 5 on D.
- Left hand: 5 on E, 3 on G♯, 2 on B, 1 on D.
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 | E – G♯ – B – D |
| 1st inversion | G♯ – B – D – E |
| 2nd inversion | B – D – E – G♯ |
| 3rd inversion | D – E – G♯ – B |
Where E7 belongs
E7 is the V7 chord in A major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to A. In a 12-bar blues in E, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
E7 is E with a minor seventh, D, added on top. Emaj7 has a major seventh instead (D♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
Bm7 – E7 – Amaj7: ii – V – I in A 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 E7 chord?
E7 (E dominant seventh) is made of E, G♯, B and D: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play E7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on E, 2 on G♯, 3 on B, 5 on D, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on E, 3 on G♯, 2 on B, 1 on D.
How is E7 different from the plain chord?
E7 is E with a minor seventh, D, added on top. Emaj7 has a major seventh instead (D♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.