D Dominant 7th Chord (D7) on Piano
The D7 chord (D dominant 7th) is built from 4 notes: D – F# – A – C.
Play these notes on a MIDI keyboard, your computer keyboard, or the on-screen keys and ChordKeys will name the chord back to you.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from D | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | 1 | root | 0 |
| F# | 3 | major 3rd | 4 |
| A | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| C | b7 | minor 7th | 10 |
Inversions
Rearranging which note sits at the bottom gives you 4 playable voicings of the same chord. Inversions let you move between chords with less hand movement.
| Voicing | Notes | Bass note |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | D – F# – A – C | D in the bass |
| 1st inversion | F# – A – C – D | F# in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | A – C – D – F# | A in the bass |
| 3rd inversion | C – D – F# – A | C in the bass |
How the dominant 7th chord is built
Every dominant 7th chord uses the same interval formula: 1 (0 semitones), 3 (4 semitones), 5 (7 semitones), b7 (10 semitones). Starting on D and applying that formula produces D, F#, A, C. Learn the formula once and you can build a dominant 7th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain D7
Every note of D7 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on D
Dominant 7th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a D7 chord?
A D7 chord contains the notes D, F#, A, C. Those are the 1, 3, 5, b7 degrees measured from the root note D.
How do you play D7 on piano?
Place your thumb on D, then add F# and A and C above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–2–3–5.