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G Dominant 7th Chord
The G Dominant 7th Chord is G, B, D, and F, all white keys. It's one of the most common chords we'll meet, with a strong pull toward C. With four white keys and no landmarks, the hand can drift, so let's notice where the fingers sit and keep the F on top clearly audible.
How to play the G Dominant 7th Chord on the piano
Let’s go through some charts that will familiarize you with the G 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 G Dominant 7th Chord in root position
In root position, the notes of the G dominant 7th chord are stacked in thirds with G on the bottom. The appearance on the staff is evenly spaced, as is the feeling of the space in between your fingers while playing.
| G Dominant 7th Chord in root position | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | G B D F |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | G7 |
The G Dominant 7th Chord in first inversion
In first inversion, the third of the chord (B) becomes the bottom note, and the root (G) jumps up to the top.
| G Dominant 7th Chord in 1st inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | B D F G |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 4 5 |
| Chord Symbol | G6/5 or G7/B |
The G Dominant 7th Chord in second inversion
In second inversion, the fifth of the chord (D) is on the bottom, and the third of the chord (B) goes to the top.
| G Dominant 7th Chord in 2nd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | D F G B |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | G4/3 or G7/D |
The G Dominant 7th Chord in third inversion
In third inversion, the seventh of the chord (F) is on the bottom, and the fifth of the chord (D) goes to the top.
| G Dominant 7th Chord in 3rd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | F G B D |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 4 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | G4/2 or G7/F |
G 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 G dominant 7th chord is the dominant (V7) in C major. In minor keys, it is the dominant (V7) in C minor.
The resolution is G7 – C: B steps up to C and F steps down to E. 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 G7 and then C and listen for those two half steps.
Other chords built on G
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