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C dominant 7th chord

  1. Cdo
  2. Emi
  3. Gsol
  4. Bbtib
Root positionRight hand 1-2-3-5

C7 chord notes

C dominant 7th adds a minor seventh to the major chord, ten semitones above the root. The added note pulls toward the chord a fifth below, which is why C7 so often leads into the next chord.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
CdoRoot10
EmiMajor third34
GsolPerfect fifth57
BbtibMinor seventhb710
All piano chords

C7 chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using C7's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    C, E, G, Bb

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1

  2. First inversion

    E, G, Bb, C

    Right hand
    1-2-4-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1

  3. Second inversion

    G, Bb, C, E

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1

  4. Third inversion

    Bb, C, E, G

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-4-2-1

Keys that use C7

In these major keys C7 is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.

  • F majorV7

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C7 chord?

C dominant 7th (C7) is C, E, G, Bb. In solfège that's do, mi, sol, tib.

Which fingers play C7?

In root position, the right hand plays 1-2-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-2-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.

Where does C7 want to go next?

Most often to the chord a fifth below its root, the home chord of the key where C7 is V7. Play C7 and then that chord, and you'll hear the pull settle.