B dominant seventh (B7) chord on piano

The B dominant seventh chord (B7) is a dominant seventh chord (a major triad plus a minor seventh), made of four notes: B – D♯ – F♯ – A.

Root position: B3 – D♯4 – F♯4 – A4

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What the B7 chord sounds like

The dominant seventh sounds tense and wants to move on: the third and the minor seventh form a tritone that pulls towards the tonic. It is also the basic chord of the blues and early rock'n'roll.

Notes of the B7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B	root
3	D♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	F♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	A	minor seventh (10 semitones)

Root position and inversions

An inversion uses the same notes, with a different note at the bottom. When you change chords, choosing the nearest inversion keeps your hand almost still.

Root position

B3 – D♯4 – F♯4 – A4

1st inversion

D♯4 – F♯4 – A4 – B4

2nd inversion

F♯4 – A4 – B4 – D♯5

3rd inversion

A4 – B4 – D♯5 – F♯5

Which keys is it in?

The B7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

E major: V7 (dominant)
E minor: V7 (dominant)
C♯ minor: VII7

Similar chords and substitutes

If B7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

F7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
E♭dim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
B9 – a fuller dominant (with the ninth)
B7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
E – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

B – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

B9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
B13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B7 chord?

B, D♯, F♯, A. The root is B; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.

How do I play the B7 chord on piano?

In root position, the right hand usually plays with fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger, little finger); four-note chords with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5. The left hand mirrors this: 5, 3, 1. In an inversion the top or bottom note moves to the other side, so your hand moves less when you change chords.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.