C7 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The C7 chord is a dominant seventh chord built on the root note C. Its notes are C, E, G and B♭.
Dominant seventh chords sound tense and bluesy. The minor seventh on top of a major triad creates a pull toward a resolution, which is why this chord powers the blues and drives cadences in jazz and pop.
C7 on piano
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play C7 on piano, place your right-hand thumb on C, then index, middle and little finger on E, G and B♭. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
C7 on guitar
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, C7 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. This one is a barre shape: keep the index finger flat across the fretboard and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them. Strum only the strings marked as active in the diagram.
Play the chord
C7 chord notes
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | C |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | E |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | G |
| ♭7 | Minor seventh | 10 | B♭(Bb) |
How to use the C7 chord
The C7 chord is built from a root, a major third, a perfect fifth and a minor seventh. Start at the root C and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: C, E, G and B♭. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
Blues, jazz, funk and rock'n'roll all run on dominant seventh chords. They typically act as the V7 resolving back to the tonic, or carry a twelve-bar blues from end to end.
Famous Songs in C7
These well-known tracks all feature the C7 chord - a great way to put it in musical context.
- 1Watermelon ManHerbie Hancock
- 2SuperstitionStevie Wonder
- 3Higher GroundStevie Wonder
- 4ChameleonHerbie Hancock
- 5Mercy Mercy MeMarvin Gaye
Common progressions
The C7 chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.
Related chords to C7
Once C7 feels comfortable, the chords below open up new progressions. Each one shares notes, keys or a harmonic function with it, which is what makes it the natural place to go next.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the C7 chord?
Is the C7 chord major or minor?
How do you play C7 on piano?
How do you play C7 on guitar?
What chords work well with C7?
Keep exploring
Deepen your understanding of the C7 chord with our other music theory tools.