Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
F♯7 piano chord (F♯ dominant seventh)
F♯7 (also written G♭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.
F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E · tap any key to hear it
The notes of F♯7
F♯7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- F♯, the root
- A♯, the major third
- C♯, the fifth
- E, the minor seventh
F♯ and A♯ and C♯ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them 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 F♯7 belongs
F♯7 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.
F♯7 is F♯ with a minor seventh, E, added on top. F♯maj7 has a major seventh instead (E♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
C♯m7 – F♯7 – Bmaj7: 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 F♯7 chord?
F♯7 (F♯ dominant seventh) is made of F♯, A♯, C♯ and E: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play F♯7 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 F♯7 different from the plain chord?
F♯7 is F♯ with a minor seventh, E, added on top. F♯maj7 has a major seventh instead (E♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.