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