A dominant seventh chord is composed using a root/1^st, major 3^rd, perfect 5^th and minor 7^th (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 superscripted 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 Tetrad

In music theory, a dominant seventh chord belongs to a group of chords called tetrads. Generally, a tetrad is a four note chord composed using specific intervals, those being the root/1^st, the 3^rd, the 5^th and the 7^th degrees (note absence of interval quality). As previously shown, a dominant seventh tetrad is composed using a root/1^st, major 3^rd, perfect 5^th and minor 7^th (R/1-3-5-7) intervals. Other tetrads are built by raising or lowering the 3^rd, 5^th and/or 7^th degrees. For instance, a minor seventh tetrad interval structure is root/1^st, minor 3^rd, perfect 5^th and minor 7^th (R/1-3-5-7). The interval structure for a minor seventh flat five tetrad is root/1^st, minor 3^rd, diminished 5^th and minor 7^th (R/1-3-5-7), and a major seventh tetrad is root/1^st, major 3^rd, perfect 5^th and major 7^th (R/1-3-5-7).

Major seventh, minor seventh, dominant seventh and minor seventh flat five tetrads occur naturally in the harmonized major scale (tetrads).

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)

Dominant Seventh Chord Voicings

The chord voicings below are not shown in any particular key, they are shapes which can be moved around the guitar neck freely using the root note (circled dot) as your navigator. See example below.

• How to use
• As an example, let's say you require a D major chord
• After playing all the chord voicings, you decide on voicing #2
• Voicing #2 has it's root on the 5^th string so you need to find the D note on this string
• Click the notes on the neck chart tab and find the D note on the 5^th fret (5^th string)
• Now play D major using voicing #2 on the 5^th fret
• Use the Octave chart tab to help you remember which notes are where
• Use the Chord chart help tab if your a beginner at reading chord boxes

Dominant Seventh Chord Audio Sample(s)

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
C Dominant Seventh Chord voicing #2		c-dominant-seventh-chord-voicing-2.mp3

Related Lessons & Resources

• Guitar Lessons
• • How to read chord diagrams
  • Open chords part 1
• Music Theory
• • Harmonizing a major scale (triads)

External Resources

• Dominant seventh chord at Wikipedia.org