Seventh Chords

Let’s look at how to play an F sharp 7 chord on the piano. We’ll also learn the pattern for building any other seventh chord.

What Are Seventh Chords?

Seventh chords are major chords with an added note. The added note is the seventh note of the matching major scale, lowered 1/2 step.

We can build a major chord using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale. Then to convert the major chord into a seventh chord, we’ll find the seventh note of the matching major scale, lower it 1/2 step, and add it to the chord.

Chord Types Printable

Learn to play 17 types of piano chords using 12 different root notes with this 35-page PDF! Chords are sorted both by their root note and type.

Get the Printable

How to Play an F Sharp 7 Chord

Now let’s build an F sharp 7 chord on the piano. We’ll start by building an F sharp major chord using the first, third and fifth notes of the F sharp major scale: F♯ – A♯ – C♯

Then we’ll find the seventh note of the F sharp major scale, E♯, lower it 1/2 step to E, and add it to the chord:

So to play an F sharp 7 chord, we’ll play:

F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E

We can use this pattern to build any other seventh chord. We’ll first build a major chord using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale. Then we’ll find the seventh note of the matching major scale, lower it 1/2 step, and add it to the chord.

Chord Fingering

If this chord is played with the right hand, we can play it using fingers 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 (thumb’s are 1’s). If played with the left hand, we can use fingers 5 – 3 – 2 – 1.

Other Seventh Chords

Since there are different types of seventh chords, it can be helpful to compare their differences:

Seventh chords are major chords with an added note. The added note is the seventh note of the matching major scale, lowered 1/2 step.

So an F sharp 7 chord is:

F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E

Major seventh chords are major chords with an added note. The added note is the seventh note of the matching major scale.

So an F sharp major 7 chord is:

F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E♯

Minor seventh chords are minor chords with an added note. The added note is the seventh note of the matching major scale, lowered 1/2 step.

So an F sharp minor seventh chord is:

F♯ – A – C♯ – E

Other Chord Types

Some of the other chord types we can learn are:

Major
Minor
Augmented
Diminished
Second
Minor Second
Suspended
Fifth
Sixth
Minor Sixth
Minor Seventh
Major Seventh
Ninth
Minor Ninth
Major Ninth

Conclusion

Now you know how to play an F sharp 7 chord on the piano, and you can use this knowledge to build any other seventh chord!

When we use chords to learn the piano, it helps us see and understand the piano in terms of scales and patterns. When we understand the notes of the scale, and how those notes are used to build chords, and how we can use the chords from a particular key to create chord progressions, then a new world of opportunity opens up at the piano!