Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
G7 piano chord (G dominant seventh)
G7 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.
G – B – D – F · tap any key to hear it
The notes of G7
G7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- G, the root
- B, the major third
- D, the fifth
- F, the minor seventh
Every note is a white key, which makes G7 an easy chord to find and play.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on G, 2 on B, 3 on D, 5 on F.
- Left hand: 5 on G, 3 on B, 2 on D, 1 on F.
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 | G – B – D – F |
| 1st inversion | B – D – F – G |
| 2nd inversion | D – F – G – B |
| 3rd inversion | F – G – B – D |
Where G7 belongs
G7 is the V7 chord in C major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to C. In a 12-bar blues in G, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
G7 is G with a minor seventh, F, added on top. Gmaj7 has a major seventh instead (F♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7: ii – V – I in C 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 G7 chord?
G7 (G dominant seventh) is made of G, B, D and F: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play G7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on G, 2 on B, 3 on D, 5 on F, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on G, 3 on B, 2 on D, 1 on F.
How is G7 different from the plain chord?
G7 is G with a minor seventh, F, added on top. Gmaj7 has a major seventh instead (F♯), which sounds softer and less bluesy.