Julie Swihart

Seventh Chords

Let’s look at how to play an F7 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.

Major chords are built using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale (learn how to build a major scale here). So to convert a major chord into a seventh chord, we’ll add the seventh note of the matching major scale, lowered 1/2 step.

Chord Types Printable

Learn to play 17 types of piano chords using 12 different root notes with this 34-page PDF! Chords are sorted both by their root note (C, D, E, etc.) and type (major, minor, augmented, diminished, etc.).

Get the Printable

How to Play an F7 Chord

To build an F7 chord, we’ll start by building an F major chord, using the first, third and fifth notes of the F major scale: F – A – C

Then we’ll find the seventh note of the F major scale, E, and lower it 1/2 step to E♭.

So to play an F7 chord we’ll play: F – A – C – E♭

We can use this pattern to build any other seventh chord. First we can build a major chord, then we can add the seventh note of the matching major scale, lowered 1/2 step.

Chord Fingering

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

Other Seventh Chords

Since there are different types of seventh chords, it can help 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 F7 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 Fmaj7 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 Fm7 chord is: F – A♭ – C – E♭

Conclusion

Now you know how to build an F7 chord, and you can use this pattern to build any other seventh chord!

Seventh chords are more common at the piano, so it’s good to be familiar with how to build them when you see them.

And using chords is a great way to learn and enjoy the piano!