7th Chords on Piano

7th chords on piano are often the first group of 4 note chords people learn. Seventh chords are quite common and you'll find them everywhere. So they're definitely a chord family to learn!

Here you'll find:

7th chord explanation
How to easily find & play any 7th chord
7th chord chart for piano
theory behind the 7th chord

7th Piano Chords Video Lesson:

7th Chords Explainer

(What are these chords)

7th chords or seventh chords are a 4 note piano chord.

A 7th chord has the root note (which can include a sharp or flat) and a 7. That's it. For example: C7, C#7, Bb7.

Note: this chord is different than a 7th chord that has a m or M - or any other additional letters or symbols. This one only has the 7.

What Does the 7 Mean?

(The Chord Theory)

Chords are built on major scales. When you have a 7th chord, you start on the first note of the scale and count up 7 notes. This 7th note that you land on is a note in this chord.

However, with a 7th chord, you need to lower that note a semi-tone (go to the next note to the left, whether black or white).

How Do You Find The 7th Note of a Chord?

In music theory, the way to find this 7th note of a chord is to count up to that 7th note in whatever major scale the chord is in. Then you need to lower that note. For example, F# becomes F or B becomes Bb.

You need to be aware of the key signature when doing this. (There's another way to work this out also I'll explain below.)

Chord Formula for 7th Chords

All chords have a formula and the 7th chord is no different.

7th Chord Formula: 1 3 5 b7.

This chord is made up partly of the major chord (which is the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of a major scale) and then the second part which is the 7th.

We've added in the 7th note there but also something else. The "b" - a flat. When you see this, it means to lower the note a semi-tone. So b7 means lowered 7th.

The Easy Pattern You Can Use

Here is an easy pattern you can use to find a 7th chord.

1. Play the major chord.

2. Skip 2 semi-tones.

3. Play the next semi-tone. This is the 7th note.

This will work on any 7th chord starting on any note.

What Are 7th Chords Used For?

Seventh chords pop up all over the place. They are used to create more interest and make a song go beyond the basic major and minor chords.

One of the main places to find a 7th chord is near the end on a piece of music - especially if it's a classical piece. It's often the chord that comes right before the final chord of the song.

You'll also find this in modern and pop songs.

It is a foundational chord for both blue and jazz.

7th Piano Chords Chart

All 7th Chords:

C7 = C E G Bb

C#7 - C# E# G# B

Db7 = Db F Ab Cb

D7 = D F# A C

Eb7 = Eb G Bb Db

E7 = E G# B D

F7 = F A C Eb

F#7 = F# A# C# E

Gb7 = Gb Bb Db Fb

G7 = G B D F

G#7 = G# B# D# F#

Ab7 = Ab C Eb Gb

A7 = A C# E G

Bb7 = Bb D F Ab

B7 = B D# F# A

How To Practice Making 7th Chords:

If you can read music, go to the major scales page and practice making chords based off of the scales written there.

If you don't read music all that well, you can practice this using the pattern outlined above. Play a major chord and then find the 7th note to add in to it.

You can check all your chords with the free Ultimate Chord Cheat Sheet below.

Free Download:

Ultimate Chord Cheat Sheet

Subscribe below and get free access to the (printable) Ultimate Chord Cheat Sheet.

More pages that might help:

m7 Chord: What is it & How Do You Play It? (Formula included)
What the m7 chord means, how it's formed, how to write it and how to play it on piano. Also known as the minor seven chord.
Diminished Piano Chords: Chart & How to Make Them
Learn the different diminished piano chords and how to make them. Here you'll find both a diminished chord chart and an explanation.
Can You Learn Piano Without Sheet Music?
Ever wondering if you can learn piano without sheet music? There are a few options if this is something you want to do.
Piano Chord Training Series
Sign up for the piano chord training series here.
Piano Chord Chart Book - A Peek Inside
Here's a peek inside my new piano chord chart book. It has piano chord charts for different chord types and different keys.
12 Major Chords: Names & Notes for All Major Chords
Learn and see what the 12 major chords are, the notes in each chord, chord charts and how to play them.
Learn Jazz Piano Chords (Beyond Major and Minor Chords!)
Learning jazz piano chords? Learn some of the important jazz chords to know, which notes to play for the chords, and how to figure them out.
How To Understand Chord Titles
Understand chord titles and how to play the different types of chords. Learn what the chord symbols mean.
C Chord On Piano - How To Play It
Learn how to play the C chord on the piano - also known as C major chord. Included here are C chord inversions and C/E and C/G.
Chart of Piano Chords
A chart of piano chords - what notes go with which chord.
Piano Chord Inversions for Beginners + Exercises
What are piano chord inversions and a few different ways you can practice these. They're important!
Learn How to Make Chords (How To)
Learn how to make chords. A step by step approach for learning how to build chords.
What Are Piano Chords?
Answering the question: what are piano chords? Find the basics here.
Basic Piano Chords
Learn some of the most common and basic piano chords. Learn the chord names and the notes to play them.
Join the 14 Day Piano Chord Challenge
Join the 14 day piano chord challenge and learn a new chord every day! Perfect for beginners learning to play piano chords.