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You are here: Home / Dominant Seventh Chords / Dominant seventh chord

August 26, 2013 By Richie Leave a Comment

Dominant seventh chord

A dominant seventh chord is composed using a root/1st, major 3rd, perfect 5th and minor 7th (or R/1-3-5-♭7) intervals played simultaneously. Generally written as C7, Cdom7 or C7, it is good practice to simply use an uppercase C and a super scripted 7 to represent it in writing (ie: C7).

The dominant seventh chord is built upon the fifth degree of the harmonized major scale (tetrads), and is widely used in all styles of music. Authentic cadence is achieved when the dominant seventh chord is resolved to the tonic chord (for example: G7 to CMA). The tonality of a dominant seventh chord is somewhat dissonant and unresolved when played as the V chord resolving to the I, but is frequently used as the I chord particularly in Funk and Blues styles. Blues players regularly substitute major chords for dominant seventh chords, for example: a I-IV-V progression in the key of G would normally be GMA, CMA and D7, Blues players may change this to G7, C7 and D7.


Dominant seventh chord profile

Intervals root/1st, major 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th or R/1-3-5-♭7
Stability Somewhat dissonant, unresolved
Grouping class Tetrad
Common names (examples in C) C7, Cdom7, CDOM7, C7, C(♭7)


Chord shapes/voicings

  • Dominant seventh chord shapes
  • Help
  • Guitar neck notes
  • Octave chart
Dominant seventh chord shapes for guitar
Chord box reading guide
All notes on guitar neck
Guitar octave chart guide


Dominant seventh chord table

Chord name Root Major third Perfect fifth Minor seventh
C7 C E G B♭
C♯7 C♯ E♯ (F) G♯ B
D♭7 D♭ F A♭ C♭ (B)
D7 D F♯ A C
D♯7 D♯ FDouble Sharp (G) A♯ C♯
E♭7 E♭ G B♭ D♭
E7 E G♯ B D
F7 F A C E♭
F♯7 F♯ A♯ C♯ E
G♭7 G♭ B♭ D♭ F♭ (E)
G7 G B D F
G♯7 G♯ B♯ (C) D♯ F♯
A♭7 A♭ C E♭ G♭
A7 A C♯ E G
A♯7 A♯ CDouble Sharp (D) E♯ (F) G♯
B♭7 B♭ D F A♭
B7 B D♯ F♯ A


Audio sample(s)

C Dominant seventh chord voicing #2 https://www.ricguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/dominant-seventh-chord/c-dominant-seventh-chord-voicing-2.mp3




Filed Under: Dominant Seventh Chords, Guitar Chords

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