D seventh chord (D7)

D seventh is a 4-note dominant seventh chord: D – F♯ – A – C. It sounds tense: it wants to resolve to another chord. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio.

NotesD – F♯ – A – C
Formula1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7
SymbolD7 · Ddom7
TypeDominant seventh chord

D seventh on guitar

Open position
Barre at fret 5 (A shape)
Barre at fret 10 (E shape)

How to place your fingers (open position)

Finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of the 3rd string (G).
Place finger 1 (index) at fret 1 on string 2 (B).
Finger 3 (ring) on fret 2 of the 1st string (E).
Play the 4th string open.
Don't play the 6th or 5th strings: strum from the 4th string.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (D). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

D seventh on piano

In root position, play D – F♯ – A – C from bottom to top with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 of your right hand. With your left hand you usually play just the root (D) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: F♯ – A – C – D
Second inversion: A – C – D – F♯
Third inversion: C – D – F♯ – A

D seventh on ukulele

From fret 2
From fret 5

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of D seventh

D1 · root
F♯3 · major third
A5 · perfect fifth
C♭7 · minor seventh

It's the dominant chord (V7): it sets up the arrival at the tonic and is the foundation of blues, son and many song endings.

Progressions with D7

A dominant that resolves: V7 – I

D7
G

D7 is the fifth degree of G major: its tension wants to resolve to G.

The ii–V–I: ii7 – V7 – Imaj7

The most common cadence in jazz and bossa nova.

Which keys contain D seventh?

D7 belongs to 2 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
G major	V7
E natural minor	VII7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D seventh chord?

D seventh (D7) has 4 notes: D (root), F♯ (major third), A (perfect fifth), C (minor seventh).

How do you play D seventh on guitar?

The easiest fingering is in open position: x x 0 2 1 2 (from the 6th to the 1st string). Finger 2 (middle finger) on fret 2 of the 3rd string (G). Finger 1 (index finger) on fret 1 of the 2nd string (B). Finger 3 (ring finger) on fret 2 of the 1st string (E). The 4th string is played open. Don't play the 6th or 5th strings: strum from the 4th string.

How do you write D seventh in letter chord notation?

It is written D7; you may also see Ddom7. Chord notation uses letters for the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B.

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