The F Dominant 7th chord is a four-note chord made up of F, A, C, and E♭. It is built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh.
Construction
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| F | Root | 1 |
| A | Major 3rd | 3 |
| C | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| E♭ | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
F Dominant 7th Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | F – A – C – E♭ |
| 1st Inversion | A – C – E♭ – F |
| 2nd Inversion | C – E♭ – F – A |
| 3rd Inversion | E♭ – F – A – C |
Key Signature
A dominant chord points home to the key a fifth below its root: the F Dominant 7th is the V (dominant) of A# Major, so the relevant key signature is that key’s — 2 flats (B♭, E♭). Spelled as a scale, these notes are F Mixolydian.
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of A♯ Major
These are the triads built on each degree of the A♯ major scale:
How F Dominant 7th functions in a key
The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where F Dominant 7th sits diatonically across the common keys:
- In B♭ major, F Dominant 7th is the V chord — the dominant.
- In G minor, F Dominant 7th is the ♭VII chord — a mediant / color chord.