A dominant 7th chord
- Ala
- C#do#
- Emi
- Gsol
A7 chord notes
A 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 A7 so often leads into the next chord.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| Ala | Root1 | 0 |
| C#do# | Major third3 | 4 |
| Emi | Perfect fifth5 | 7 |
| Gsol | Minor seventhb7 | 10 |
A7 chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using A7's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
A, C#, E, G
- Right hand
- 1-2-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-2-1
First inversion
C#, E, G, A
- Right hand
- 1-2-4-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-2-1
Second inversion
E, G, A, C#
- Right hand
- 1-2-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-2-1
Third inversion
G, A, C#, E
- Right hand
- 1-2-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-4-2-1
Keys that use A7
In these major keys A7 is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.
- D majorV7
Piano practice that remembers
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What notes are in the A7 chord?
A dominant 7th (A7) is A, C#, E, G. In solfège that's la, do#, mi, sol.
Which fingers play A7?
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 A7 want to go next?
Most often to the chord a fifth below its root, the home chord of the key where A7 is V7. Play A7 and then that chord, and you'll hear the pull settle.