Construction
E Dominant 7th = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th = E, G♯, B, D
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| E | Root | 1 |
| G♯ | Major 3rd | 3 |
| B | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| D | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
How to Play the E Dominant 7th
Right Hand (RH)
Place your right hand over the keys with the thumb on the root. Use the fingering: 1 – 2 – 3 – 5
Left Hand (LH)
For the left hand, start with your pinky on the root. Use the fingering: 5 – 3 – 2 – 1
E Dominant 7th Inversions
- Root positionE – G♯ – B – D
- 1st inversion (E7/G♯)G♯ – B – D – E
- 2nd inversion (E7/B)B – D – E – G♯
- 3rd inversion (E7/D)D – E – G♯ – B
E Dominant 7th : Frequently Asked Questions
What is the E Dominant 7th chord on piano?
The E Dominant 7th chord contains the notes E – G♯ – B – D. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the E Dominant 7th chord?
The E Dominant 7th chord (E7) contains four notes: E (root), G# (major third), B (perfect fifth), and D (minor seventh). The major triad with a minor seventh creates the bluesy, driving tension that defines the dominant 7th sound.
How does E Dominant 7th differ from E Major?
E Major contains three notes: E, G#, B. E Dominant 7th adds a D (minor seventh) on top. That single added note transforms a resolved chord into one with strong forward motion, it wants to resolve down a fifth to A Major.
What does 'dominant' mean in music theory?
'Dominant' refers to the fifth scale degree. The dominant 7th chord is built on the fifth note of a key and contains a tritone that creates strong pull toward resolution. E7 is the dominant chord in the key of A Major: one of the most common keys in rock and blues guitar music.
How is E Dominant 7th used in music?
E7 most commonly resolves to A Major in a V7–I cadence. It is one of the most important chords in blues and rock: E7 is the I chord in a blues in E, and the V7 in A Major. It appears in virtually every blues and classic rock song.
What songs use dominant 7th chords?
Dominant 7th chords are the backbone of blues and early rock: every chord in a standard 12-bar blues is a dominant 7th. Hit the Road Jack (Ray Charles), Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller), and countless jazz standards rely on dominant 7th movement for their harmonic drive.
What is the tritone in E Dominant 7th?
The tritone in E7 is the interval between G# (the third) and D (the seventh): exactly 6 semitones apart. This is the most unstable interval in Western music and gives E7 its strong pull toward A. The G# resolves up to A and the D resolves down to C#.