Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
E♭7 piano chord (E♭ dominant seventh)
E♭7 (also written D♯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.
E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭ · tap any key to hear it
The notes of E♭7
E♭7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- E♭, the root
- G, the major third
- B♭, the fifth
- D♭, the minor seventh
E♭ and B♭ and D♭ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them 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 E♭7 belongs
E♭7 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.
E♭7 is E♭ with a minor seventh, D♭, added on top. E♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (D), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
B♭m7 – E♭7 – A♭maj7: 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 E♭7 chord?
E♭7 (E♭ dominant seventh) is made of E♭, G, B♭ and D♭: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play E♭7 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 E♭7 different from the plain chord?
E♭7 is E♭ with a minor seventh, D♭, added on top. E♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (D), which sounds softer and less bluesy.