G dominant 7th chord on piano
The G dominant 7th chord is G–B–D–F. Tap the keys below to hear it.
G7G · B · D · F
Tap the keys to hear them
G7 is the V chord of C major, and most ears can hear that it wants to resolve home to C. That tension and release, V7 to I, is the most common cadence in Western music.
You've heard it in almost every Beatles song that ends on C.
How the G dominant 7th chord is built
Fingerings & inversions
Standard fingerings use the thumb (1), the little finger (5), and either the index (2) or middle finger (3). Hand size and musical context change what feels natural. Switch Fingers on above to see 1-2-3-5 land for G7.
| Position | Notes (bottom → top) | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | G – B – D – F | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 1st inversion | B – D – F – G | 1-2-4-5 | 5-4-2-1 |
| 2nd inversion | D – F – G – B | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 3rd inversion | F – G – B – D | 1-2-4-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
Inversion diagrams
The inversion buttons above play all 4 shapes of G7.
Popular songs to play with the G7 piano chord
- Fly Me to the Moon by Bart Howard
- Happy Birthday to You by Patty & Mildred J. Hill
Songs are where chords start making sense. Skoove takes you from G7 to full songs, step by step.
Start a piano lesson for freeWhere G7 shows up
G7 is the dominant seventh of C major. When a song in C wants a strong arrival, G7 is the chord that comes right before it, and its F is the note leaning hardest.
Hear it drive a 12-bar blues in G: G7–C7–D7.
Common questions
What notes are in the G dominant 7th chord?
The G dominant 7th chord is made up of G, B, D, F. All white keys: start on G, skip a key to B, skip another to D, and the shape is under your hand.
What fingers should I use to play G7 on piano?
In root position, the standard fingering is 1-2-3-5 in the right hand and 5-3-2-1 in the left hand (1 = thumb, 5 = little finger). G, B, D, F are all white keys; find G between the first and second of the three black keys, and the rest of the shape follows.
What's the difference between G7 and Gmaj7?
G7 has a minor 7th on top, F, which makes it sound restless and ready to resolve. Gmaj7 raises that note a half step, which sounds settled and warm instead. Same G–B–D triad underneath, one note apart, very different jobs.
More G chords
Reviewed by
Composer, arranger and music educator. BA Music (LIPA), MA Composition (University of Salford).
Last updated 2026-08-19