Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
F7 piano chord (F dominant seventh)
F7 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.
F – A – C – E♭ · tap any key to hear it
The notes of F7
F7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- F, the root
- A, the major third
- C, the fifth
- E♭, the minor seventh
E♭ is a black key, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach it without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on F, 2 on A, 3 on C, 5 on E♭.
- Left hand: 5 on F, 3 on A, 2 on C, 1 on E♭.
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 | F – A – C – E♭ |
| 1st inversion | A – C – E♭ – F |
| 2nd inversion | C – E♭ – F – A |
| 3rd inversion | E♭ – F – A – C |
Where F7 belongs
F7 is the V7 chord in B♭ major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to B♭. In a 12-bar blues in F, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
F7 is F with a minor seventh, E♭, added on top. Fmaj7 has a major seventh instead (E), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
Cm7 – F7 – B♭maj7: ii – V – I in B♭ 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 F7 chord?
F7 (F dominant seventh) is made of F, A, C and E♭: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play F7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on F, 2 on A, 3 on C, 5 on E♭, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on F, 3 on A, 2 on C, 1 on E♭.
How is F7 different from the plain chord?
F7 is F with a minor seventh, E♭, added on top. Fmaj7 has a major seventh instead (E), which sounds softer and less bluesy.