D7 chord on piano
The D7 chord, or D dominant 7th, stacks 4 notes on D: D, F♯, A and C. Musicians write its formula 1 3 5 ♭7.
Notes and intervals of D7
Each note of D7 has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (D), major 3rd (F♯), perfect 5th (A) and minor 7th (C). Change one of these intervals and you get a different chord, which is why the formula 1 3 5 ♭7 is worth memorising rather than the shape alone.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | D |
| 3 | major 3rd | F♯ |
| 5 | perfect 5th | A |
| ♭7 | minor 7th | C |
How to play D7 on piano
Put your right-hand thumb on D, then add the other notes: D, F♯, A and C. Teachers usually suggest the fingering 1-2-3-5 (left hand: 5-3-2-1). Press the keys together, release, and repeat until the chord sounds even.
Inversions of D7
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts another one in the bass. D7 has 3 inversions besides root position: 1st inversion (F♯ A C D), 2nd inversion (A C D F♯) and 3rd inversion (C D F♯ A). Inversions let you move between chords with tiny hand movements, which is how pianists make progressions sound smooth.
Which keys use D7?
You find D7 as a diatonic chord in G major (V7). The most common case is G major, where it plays the role of V7.
Scales to play over D7
These scales share every note of D7: D Mixolydian mode. D Mixolydian mode is the safest choice; the others add more colour.
About dominant 7th chords
A major triad plus a minor seventh: 1 3 5 ♭7. The third and the seventh form a tritone, the unstable interval that wants to resolve, which gives the dominant seventh its tension and its bluesy edge. On its own it sounds unfinished; followed by the chord a fifth below, it sounds like an arrival. For example C7: C E G B♭.
Its main job is V7 to I, the strongest cadence in tonal music (for example G7 to C). It also works as a secondary dominant: V7 of V, V7 of vi and so on. In the blues every chord can be a 7, I7 IV7 V7 for the whole 12-bar form, and jazz uses it in ii7 V7 Imaj7.
Root position stacks three thirds: 1 3 5 ♭7. Pianists often thin it out: root in the left hand, 3 and ♭7 in the right (a shell), fifth optional. To hear the resolution, follow it with its I: the 3 rises a semitone to the root of I, and the ♭7 falls a semitone to the third.
The big one: 7 is not maj7. A plain 7 always means a minor seventh (B♭ in C7), maj7 means a major seventh (B in Cmaj7), and the two sound opposite, tense versus calm. Also, inside a major key only the V chord is naturally a dominant 7; elsewhere it is a borrowed colour or a secondary dominant.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the D7 chord?
D7 (D dominant 7th) contains D, F♯, A and C. In intervals: root (D), major 3rd (F♯), perfect 5th (A) and minor 7th (C).
How do you play D7 on piano?
Play D, F♯, A and C together with the right-hand fingering 1-2-3-5. You can also play it in 3 inversions, shown on this page.
What scale goes with D7?
D Mixolydian mode fits D7 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: D Mixolydian mode.
What key is D7 in?
D7 belongs to G major (V7). In G major it is the V7 chord.
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