D dominant 7th chord

  1. Dre
  2. F#fa#
  3. Ala
  4. Cdo
Root positionRight hand 1-2-3-5

D7 chord notes

D 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 D7 so often leads into the next chord.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
DreRoot10
F#fa#Major third34
AlaPerfect fifth57
CdoMinor seventhb710
All piano chords

D7 chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using D7's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    D, F#, A, C

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1
  2. First inversion

    F#, A, C, D

    Right hand
    1-2-4-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1
  3. Second inversion

    A, C, D, F#

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1
  4. Third inversion

    C, D, F#, A

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

Keys that use D7

In these major keys D7 is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.

  • G majorV7

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D7 chord?

D dominant 7th (D7) is D, F#, A, C. In solfège that's re, fa#, la, do.

Which fingers play D7?

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 D7 want to go next?

Most often to the chord a fifth below its root, the home chord of the key where D7 is V7. Play D7 and then that chord, and you'll hear the pull settle.