G7: G Dominant 7th Piano Chord

Second inversion: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	D, F, G, B	1-2-3-5
Left	D, F, G, B	5-4-2-1

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	G	Perfect unison	0
3	B	Major third	4
5	D	Perfect fifth	7
♭7	F	Minor seventh	10

Construction

G Dominant 7th = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th = G, B, D, F

Note	Interval	Degree
G	Root	1
B	Major 3rd	3
D	Perfect 5th	5
F	Minor 7th	♭7

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
G	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
B	white	index finger (2)	middle finger (3)
D	white	middle finger (3)	index finger (2)
F	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on G, index finger (2) on B, middle finger (3) on D, little finger (5) on F.

Left hand: little finger (5) on G, middle finger (3) on B, index finger (2) on D, thumb (1) on F.

G Dominant 7th Inversions

Root position
G – B – D – F
1st inversion (G7/B)
B – D – F – G
2nd inversion (G7/D)
D – F – G – B
3rd inversion (G7/F)
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 — no sharps or flats. Spelled as a scale, these notes are G Mixolydian.

Chords in the Key of G Major

These are the triads built on each degree of G Major:

I — G Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	G Major	Major
2	ii	A Minor	Minor
3	iii	B Minor	Minor
4	IV	C Major	Major
5	V	D Major	Major
6	vi	E Minor	Minor
7	vii°	F♯ Diminished	Diminished

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.

Scales That Include the G Dominant 7th

C Major (V7)
A Minor (♭VII7)
D Dorian (IV)
E Phrygian (III)
F Lydian (II)
G Mixolydian (I)
A Aeolian (VII)
B Locrian (VI)

G Dominant 7th : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the G Dominant 7th chord on piano?

The G Dominant 7th chord contains the notes G – B – D – F. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.

What notes are in the G Dominant 7th chord?

The G Dominant 7th chord (G7) contains four notes: G (root), B (major third), D (perfect fifth), and F (minor seventh). The major triad with a minor seventh creates the dominant 7th's characteristic drive and tension.

How does G Dominant 7th differ from G Major?

G Major contains three notes: G, B, D. G Dominant 7th adds an F (minor seventh) on top. That single note transforms a stable chord into one that urgently wants to resolve, typically down a fifth to C Major, the most common resolution in all of Western music.

What does 'dominant' mean in music theory?

'Dominant' refers to the fifth scale degree. G7 is the dominant chord in C Major: the most common key in music. The G7 to C Major resolution (V7–I) is the single most important chord movement in Western harmony.

How is G Dominant 7th used in music?

G7 resolves to C Major in the V7–I cadence that ends countless songs, hymns, and classical pieces. It is the V7 in C Major, the most common key in popular music. G7 also appears as the I chord in blues in G and as a secondary dominant in many other keys.

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 G Dominant 7th?

The tritone in G7 is the interval between B (the third) and F (the seventh): exactly 6 semitones apart. This is the most famous tritone in music education and gives G7 its powerful pull toward C. The B resolves up to C and the F resolves down to E.

G Dominant 7th in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	G3 B3 D4 F4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	B3 D4 F4 G4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	D4 F4 G4 B4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	F4 G4 B4 D5	9	124 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	D3 G3 B3 F4	15	206 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	B2 G3 D4 F4	18	248 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	G2 D3 B3 F4	22	303 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Shell, root ♭7 3	G2 F3 B3	16	220 mm	omits D	subset
Guide tones, 3 and ♭7	B3 F4	6	83 mm	omits G and D	subset
Rootless close	B3 D4 F4	6	83 mm	omits G	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	G	G3, B3, D4, F4	7	10	138 mm
First inversion: G7/B	B	B3, D4, F4, G4	6/5	8	110 mm
Second inversion: G7/D	D	D4, F4, G4, B4	4/3	9	124 mm
Third inversion: G7/F	F	F4, G4, B4, D5	4/2	9	124 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Progression	Key	Role	Sequence	Voice leading
V, I	C major	V7	G7 to Cmaj7	G7 opens the phrase
ii, V, I	C major	V7	Dm7 to G7 to Cmaj7	2 tones held from Dm7
♭VII, i	A minor	♭VII7	G7 to Am7	G7 opens the phrase

Root motion, common tones and voice displacement are computed from pitch class sets. Roman numerals follow common practice functional harmony.

Which keys it belongs to

Key	Roman numeral	Function
C major	V7	Dominant, wants to resolve
A minor	♭VII7	Subtonic

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
G9	adds A	1 3 5 ♭7 9	4
G	drops F	1 3 5	3
Gmaj7	F becomes F♯	1 3 5 7	3
Gm7	B becomes B♭	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	3
Gaug7	D becomes D♯	1 3 ♯5 ♭7	3
G7sus4	B becomes C	1 4 5 ♭7	3
G6	F becomes E	1 3 5 6	3
Gadd9	F becomes A	1 3 5 9	3
Gmaj9	F becomes F♯, A	1 3 5 7 9	3
Gm9	B becomes B♭, A	1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9	3
Gm	B, F becomes B♭	1 ♭3 5	2
Gaug	D, F becomes D♯	1 3 ♯5	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
G3	55	196.00 Hz
B3	59	246.94 Hz
D4	62	293.66 Hz
F4	65	349.23 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {7, 11, 2, 5}
Normal order: [11, 2, 5, 7]
Prime form: (0258)
Forte number: 4-27
Interval vector: <012111>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
G to B	Major third	4	4
G to D	Perfect fifth	7	5
G to F	Minor seventh	10	2
B to D	Minor third	3	3
B to F	Tritone	6	6
D to F	Minor third	3	3

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a dominant 7th applied to the root G, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

G Dominant 7th

Fingerings

G Dominant 7th: notes and degrees