A Dominant 7th
A7
Notes
A · C♯ · E · G
Intervals
- RootA (1P)
- Major 3rdC♯ (3M)
- Perfect 5thE (5P)
- Minor 7thG (7m)
Fretboard
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
Drop-2 voicings (12)
Drop-3 voicings (8)
Shell voicings (2)
About
The A7 dominant seventh (A–C♯–E–G) is the primary tension-bearing chord in tonal harmony. Its pull toward resolution comes from the tritone between C♯ and G — these two notes want to resolve inward, landing in the V–I cadence on D. The 3rd and ♭7 are essential: they form the tritone, and they distinguish a dominant 7 from a Am7. The fifth can be freely omitted without weakening the harmonic function. On guitar, shell voicings (1–3–♭7) are common in jazz; full voicings appear in blues and rhythm playing. Compared to AMaj7, dominant 7 is harmonically active and directional — it is a chord that moves.
Chord diagrams
A Dominant 7th voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- A Mixolydian (I)
- B Natural Minor (VII)
- B♭ Diminished (deg 8)
- D Harmonic Minor (V)
- D Major (V)
- D Melodic Minor (V)
- D♭ Diminished (deg 6)
- D♭ Locrian (VI)
- E Diminished (deg 4)
- E Dorian (IV)
- E Melodic Minor (IV)
- F♯ Phrygian (III)
- G Diminished (deg 2)
- G Lydian (II)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.