F7 Piano Chord

F7 is the F dominant seventh chord. It has four notes: F, A, C and E flat. The first three make an F major chord; the E flat on top makes it a seventh.

F7 piano chord diagram, root position, F A C E♭

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

How to play F7 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the F above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): F
  3. Index finger (2): A
  4. Middle finger (3): C
  5. Little finger (5): E♭
  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 F on its own as a bass note.

Play F, then add the little finger on E flat. That one black key is the difference between a chord that rests and one that pushes toward B flat.

Inversions of F7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are F7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionA C E♭ F
F7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, A C E♭ F
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 inversionC E♭ F A
F7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, C E♭ F A
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 inversionE♭ F A C
F7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, E♭ F A C
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 top note is E natural
That gives Fmaj7, which sounds soft and settled. F7 needs E flat, the black key to the left of E.
The little finger is weak on the black key
It has to reach further into the keyboard than the other fingers. Move the whole hand forward rather than stretching the finger back.
The chord sounds muddy
Four notes low down blur together. Play it above middle C or use the second inversion to spread the notes.

What makes it an F7

F · A · C · E♭ 1 3 5 ♭7

F7 is an F major triad, F A C, with an E flat added: the flat seventh.

It is the V7 of B flat, so in that key it is the chord that leads home. It is also the IV chord of a blues in C, where it usually keeps its seventh.

F7 vs F

F7 is F major with an E flat on top. F is a resting chord; F7 wants to move to B flat.

In a blues in C, F7 is the fourth chord, and there its restlessness is not a problem to solve but part of the style.

F7 in major keys

Every note of F7 sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

Questions about F7

Which notes are in an F7 chord on piano?

F, A, C and E flat. E flat is the black key to the left of E; the rest are white.

What fingers do you use for F7?

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

What is the difference between F7 and Fmaj7?

One key. F7 has E flat and sounds bluesy; Fmaj7 has E natural and sounds calm.

Where is the F7 chord used?

As the V7 of B flat and as the IV chord in a blues in C.

Is F7 hard on piano?

No. One black key under the little finger and a span of a seventh.

Chords to learn next

Other F chords