F Dominant 7th
Introduction
Notes
F Dominant 7th Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | F4 – A4 – C5 – Eb5 |
| 1st Inversion | A4 – C5 – Eb5 – F5 |
| 2nd Inversion | C5 – Eb5 – F5 – A5 |
| 3rd Inversion | F4 – A4 – C5 – Eb4 |
Key Signature
The key of F Dominant 7th has 1 flat: B♭.
Theory: Intervals
The F Dominant 7th is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-M3-P5-m7 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-M3-P5-m7 show the distance between each note in the chord.
F Dominant 7th — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the F Dominant 7th chord?
The F Dominant 7th chord (F7) contains four notes: F (root), A (major third), C (perfect fifth), and Eb (minor seventh). The combination of a major triad with a minor seventh creates the dominant 7th's characteristic bluesy tension and forward drive.
How does F Dominant 7th differ from F Major?
F Major contains three notes: F, A, C. F Dominant 7th adds an Eb (minor seventh) on top. That single added note transforms a stable chord into one with urgent forward motion — it wants to resolve down a fifth to Bb 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. F7 is the dominant chord in the key of Bb Major.
How is F Dominant 7th used in music?
F7 most commonly resolves to Bb Major in a V7–I cadence. It is the V7 in Bb Major and the IV7 in a blues in C. F7 appears frequently in jazz standards, gospel music, and R&B, where Bb Major is a common horn-friendly key.
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 F Dominant 7th?
The tritone in F7 is the interval between A (the third) and Eb (the seventh) — exactly 6 semitones apart. This unstable interval gives F7 its strong pull toward Bb. The A resolves up to Bb and the Eb resolves down to D.
Practice Tips
- Play F Major then add Eb — hear how that one note creates urgency and forward motion.
- The tritone between A and Eb is the engine of F7. Play just those two notes, then resolve: A up to Bb, Eb down to D. This is V7–I voice leading in Bb Major.
- Practice the essential resolution: F7 → Bb Major. This appears in countless jazz standards and gospel songs — master it in root position and all inversions.
- In a 12-bar blues in Bb: Bb7–Bb7–Bb7–Bb7–Eb7–Eb7–Bb7–Bb7–F7–Eb7–Bb7–F7. F7 is the turnaround chord — practice this full form.
- Compare F7 with Fm7 — the major third (A) in F7 creates brightness and drive, while the minor third in Fm7 has a smoother, darker character.
- Jazz voicing: play A–C–Eb (no root) — this rootless voicing is standard for jazz piano comping when a bassist covers the F.