A7 Piano Chord

A7 is the A dominant seventh chord. It has four notes: A, C sharp, E and G. Only the C sharp is a black key.

1A2C♯3E5GC3C4

A at the bottom, then C♯ and E and G. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. The black key is C♯.

How to play A7 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the A below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): A
  3. Index finger (2): C♯
  4. Middle finger (3): E
  5. Little finger (5): G
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just A on its own as a bass note.

A7 leads to D. If you are playing a song in D, this is the chord that pulls the strongest back to the home chord.

Inversions of A7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are A7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionC♯ E G A
A7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, C♯ E G A
Lighter than root position and less final. A third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionE G A C♯
A7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, E G A C♯
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.
Third inversionG A C♯ E
A7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, G A C♯ E
The most restless of the four. The seventh is the note that wants to move, and putting it underneath the whole chord makes that pull impossible to miss.

If it sounds wrong

The chord sounds sad
The second note is C sharp, the black key to the right of C. C natural would make Am7.
The top note is wrong
It is G natural, not G sharp. G sharp would give Amaj7, which is a much softer chord and does not pull anywhere.
The hand feels stretched
A to G is a seventh, wider than a triad. Open the hand from the knuckles rather than pulling the fingers apart.

What makes it an A7

A · C♯ · E · G 1 3 5 ♭7

A7 is an A major triad, A C sharp E, with a G on top: the flat seventh. The C sharp and the G form a tritone, which is the interval that gives every dominant seventh its edge.

It is the V7 of D, and the I chord of a blues in A. In songs in D it is the chord that leads home.

A7 vs A

A7 is A major with a G added. A is settled; A7 leans toward D and stays leaning until it gets there.

In blues that lean becomes the sound itself: an A blues uses A7 as its home chord and never resolves it at all.

Questions about A7

Which notes are in an A7 chord on piano?

A, C sharp, E and G. C sharp is black; the other three are white.

What fingers do you use for A7?

Right hand: thumb on A, index on C sharp, middle on E, little finger on G. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

What is the difference between A7 and Amaj7?

The top note. A7 has G natural and sounds bluesy; Amaj7 has G sharp and sounds soft and finished.

Where is the A7 chord used?

As the V7 of D, as the I chord of a blues in A, and as the chord that leads to D in any key.

Is A7 hard to play?

No. One black key, and the seventh span is comfortable for almost any hand.

Chords to learn next

Other A chords