D Dominant 7th
D7
Notes
D · F♯ · A · C
Intervals
- RootD (1P)
- Major 3rdF♯ (3M)
- Perfect 5thA (5P)
- Minor 7thC (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 D7 dominant seventh (D–F♯–A–C) is the primary tension-bearing chord in tonal harmony. Its pull toward resolution comes from the tritone between F♯ and C — these two notes want to resolve inward, landing in the V–I cadence on G. The 3rd and ♭7 are essential: they form the tritone, and they distinguish a dominant 7 from a Dm7. 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 DMaj7, dominant 7 is harmonically active and directional — it is a chord that moves.
Chord diagrams
D 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
- D Mixolydian (I)
- A Diminished (deg 4)
- A Dorian (IV)
- A Melodic Minor (IV)
- B Phrygian (III)
- C Diminished (deg 2)
- C Lydian (II)
- E Natural Minor (VII)
- E♭ Diminished (deg 8)
- F♯ Diminished (deg 6)
- F♯ Locrian (VI)
- G Harmonic Minor (V)
- G Major (V)
- G Melodic Minor (V)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.