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F Dominant 7th Chord
The F Dominant 7th Chord is F, A, C, and E-flat, with only the top note on a black key. The fifth finger reaches up to the E-flat, and that note is what gives the chord its pull toward B-flat. It's easy for the fifth finger to sound weaker than the others, so let's make sure the E-flat comes through.
How to play the F Dominant 7th Chord on the piano
Let’s go through some charts that will familiarize you with the F Dominant 7th Chord and how to play it in the various forms you will encounter in pieces of music. First, we’ll look at the fundamental chord and its inversions; then, we’ll explore some more complex voicings.
The F Dominant 7th Chord in root position
In root position, the notes of the F dominant 7th chord are stacked in thirds with F on the bottom. The appearance on the staff is evenly spaced, as is the feeling of the space in between your fingers while playing.
| F Dominant 7th Chord in root position | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | F A C E♭ |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | F7 |
The F Dominant 7th Chord in first inversion
In first inversion, the third of the chord (A) becomes the bottom note, and the root (F) jumps up to the top.
| F Dominant 7th Chord in 1st inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | A C E♭ F |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 4 5 |
| Chord Symbol | F6/5 or F7/A |
The F Dominant 7th Chord in second inversion
In second inversion, the fifth of the chord (C) is on the bottom, and the third of the chord (A) goes to the top.
| F Dominant 7th Chord in 2nd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | C E♭ F A |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | F4/3 or F7/C |
The F Dominant 7th Chord in third inversion
In third inversion, the seventh of the chord (E♭) is on the bottom, and the fifth of the chord (C) goes to the top.
| F Dominant 7th Chord in 3rd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | E♭ F A C |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 4 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | F4/2 or F7/E♭ |
F Dominant 7th Chord theory and function
The dominant 7th is the chord that most wants to resolve. Its third and seventh form a tritone, and each of those notes pulls by step: the third up, the seventh down. That pull is what makes V7 lead so firmly to I.
The F dominant 7th chord is the dominant (V7) in B♭ major. In minor keys, it is the dominant (V7) in B♭ minor.
The resolution is F7 – B♭: A steps up to B♭ and E♭ steps down to D. At a cadence, V7 – I is the sound of a phrase ending. When a dominant 7th chord turns up in a key where it isn’t the V7 (the chord built on the fifth scale degree), it is almost always pointing at the chord a fourth above it. Try playing F7 and then B♭ and listen for those two half steps.
Other chords built on F
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