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Dominant

Dominant seventh chords

Dominant chord: Root (C), Major 3rd (E), Perfect 5th (G), Minor 7th (Bb). Formula: 1-3-5-b7

In every key

The same shape, moved. The symbols below are spelled the way the app spells them, which is the spelling the chord's own scale asks for rather than whichever accidental is easier to type.

  • C7
  • Db7
  • D7
  • Eb7
  • E7
  • F7
  • F#7
  • G7
  • Ab7
  • A7
  • Bb7
  • B7

Voicings

Written in C, because that is the key the encyclopedia authors them in; every one transposes unchanged.

Root Position

C · E · G · Bb

beginner

Octaves shown are the app's default ascending voicing.

1st Inversion

E · G · Bb · C

beginner

Octaves shown are the app's default ascending voicing.

Drop-2 Root Position

G · C · E · Bb

intermediate

Drop-2 3rd Inversion

E · Bb · C · G

intermediate

Rootless Type A (3-13-b7-9)

E · A · Bb · D

intermediate

Replaces 5th with 13th for richer dominant color

Rootless Type B (b7-9-3-13)

Bb · D · E · A

intermediate

Shell Voicing (1-3-b7)

C · E · Bb

intermediate

Essential for comping - root plus the guide tones (3 + b7), no 5th

Upper Structure II (3-b7-9-#11-13)

E · Bb · D · F# · A

expert

D-major triad over the C7 guide tones — the US II lydian-dominant sound

Drop-3 (3-1-5-b7)

E · C · G · Bb

intermediate

Drop-3 dominant — wide, ringing left-hand-anchored C7

Drop-2 1st Inversion

Bb · E · G · C

intermediate

Drop-2 of the 1st-inversion close (E-G-Bb-C): lower the 2nd-from-top voice (Bb) to the bass. The E-Bb 3rd-to-b7 tritone does the dominant work.

Drop-2 2nd Inversion

C · G · Bb · E

intermediate

LH C; RH 1-2-5 on G-Bb-E, 3rd sings on top for a bright dominant.

Quartal So-What over Dominant (b7-3-13-9)

Bb · E · A · D

advanced

Bb-E is a tritone (the chord's guide interval); E-A-D are fourths. RH thumb Bb, then E-A-D under index-middle-pinky.

Locked-Hands Block (3 on top)

C · E · G · Bb · E

intermediate

LH C-E, RH G-Bb-E; lean weight into the top E. Lock both hands and shift in parallel.

Where it turns up

The workhorse of jazz! Creates tension that resolves to F (the V7-I resolution). Essential for blues and bebop.

Commonly swapped with

  • C7sus
  • C9
  • C13
  • Db7 (tritone sub)

Progressions that use it

Every one of these is written out with the hands on a keyboard and on a stave.