E Dominant 7th Chord (E7) on Piano
The E7 chord (E dominant 7th) is built from 4 notes: E – G# – B – D.
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 E | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | 1 | root | 0 |
| G# | 3 | major 3rd | 4 |
| B | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| D | 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 | E – G# – B – D | E in the bass |
| 1st inversion | G# – B – D – E | G# in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | B – D – E – G# | B in the bass |
| 3rd inversion | D – E – G# – B | D 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 E and applying that formula produces E, G#, B, D. Learn the formula once and you can build a dominant 7th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain E7
Every note of E7 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on E
Dominant 7th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a E7 chord?
A E7 chord contains the notes E, G#, B, D. Those are the 1, 3, 5, b7 degrees measured from the root note E.
How do you play E7 on piano?
Place your thumb on E, then add G# and B and D above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–2–3–5.