dominant seventh chord
B, D♯, F♯ and A
- Root
- B
- Major third
- D♯
- Perfect fifth
- F♯
- Minor seventh
- A
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7 (4, 7, 10 half steps above B)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | B | D♯ | F♯ | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
B7 inversions
B7 has 3 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
B7
Root position
| Notes | B | D♯ | F♯ | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
B7/D♯
First inversion
| Notes | D♯ | F♯ | A | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
B7/F♯
Second inversion
| Notes | F♯ | A | B | D♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
B7/A
Third inversion
| Notes | A | B | D♯ | F♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with B7
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. B7 appears as:
- V7 in E major
- V7 in E minor
- VII7 in C♯ minor
How B7 is built
B is the root, D♯ the major third, F♯ the perfect fifth and A the minor seventh.
A dominant seventh is a major chord plus the minor seventh, 10 half steps above the root. B7 is the V7 chord of E major and pulls strongly toward it.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of B7 are B, D, F, A. That is why it is spelled B, D♯, F♯ and A.
Find B7 yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 4
Tap the notes of B7, in any octave and any order.
Practice B7 in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the B7 chord?
B7 has four notes: B, D♯, F♯ and A. B is the root, D♯ the major third, F♯ the perfect fifth and A the minor seventh.
What fingers do you use for B7 on piano?
In root position, play B, D♯, F♯ and A with right hand fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb, index finger, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3, 2 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of B7?
B7 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (B7/D♯): D♯, F♯, A and B. Second inversion (B7/F♯): F♯, A, B and D♯. Third inversion (B7/A): A, B, D♯ and F♯.
What key is B7 in?
B7 appears as V7 in E major, V7 in E minor and VII7 in C♯ minor.