F♯ dominant seventh (F♯7) chord on piano

The F♯ dominant seventh chord (F♯7) is a dominant seventh chord (a major triad plus a minor seventh), made of four notes: F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E. The same chord with a different spelling: G♭ dominant seventh (G♭7).

Root position: F♯4 – A♯4 – C♯5 – E5

Chord finder Transposer

What the F♯7 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 F♯7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	F♯	root
3	A♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	C♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	E	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

F♯4 – A♯4 – C♯5 – E5

1st inversion

A♯4 – C♯5 – E5 – F♯5

2nd inversion

C♯5 – E5 – F♯5 – A♯5

3rd inversion

E5 – F♯5 – A♯5 – C♯6

Which keys is it in?

The F♯7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

B major: V7 (dominant)
B minor: V7 (dominant)
G♯ minor: VII7

Similar chords and substitutes

If F♯7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
B♭dim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
F♯9 – a fuller dominant (with the ninth)
F♯7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
B – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

F♯ – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

F♯9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
F♯11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
F♯13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the F♯7 chord?

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

How do I play the F♯7 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.

How is the F♯7 chord written?

The chord symbol is F♯7 (also written F#7), and its full name is F♯ dominant seventh.