akousia
Start here

F7 Chord

F7 adds E flat to the F major triad. That flat seventh makes it useful before a chord whose root lies a fifth below F.

  • Notes: F-A-C-E flat
  • Symbol: F7
  • V7 in Bb major
  • Flat seventh
Switch chordF7

How to play an F7 chord

Notes: F - A - C - Eb · symbol F7

  • Root position

    F - A - C - Eb
    C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 1st inversion

    A - C - Eb - F
    C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-4-2-1

  • 2nd inversion

    C - Eb - F - A
    C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 3rd inversion

    Eb - F - A - C
    C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

Where does F7 belong?

In Bb major, F7 acts as V7 and points toward the tonic.
Play the role cards to hear how its surrounding chords change the job it does; Diatonic Chords explains the basic numbered roles.

  • In Bb majorDominant
    V7

    It resolves to Bb: A rises to B flat and E flat falls a half step.

    BbIEbIVF7V7BbI
  • In Bb minorMinor-key dominant
    V7

    The same pull in Bb minor, where harmonic minor supplies the raised A.

    BbmiEbmivF7V7Bbmi
  • In F bluesBlues home
    I7

    In a 12-bar blues the home chord is itself a 7 chord, and it does not need to resolve.

    F7I7Bb7IV7F7I7C7V7
  • In Eb majorSecondary dominant
    II7

    In Eb major it borrows a pull toward Bb, the V of that key.

    EbIF7II7BbVEbI

Progressions to try

  • BbEbF7Bb

    F7 is V7 in Bb major; hear its seventh and third lean into the last chord.

  • BbmEbmF7Bbm

    The same dominant shape leads into a minor tonic in Bb minor.

  • F7Bb7F7C7

    In F blues, the tonic itself carries a seventh; the loop returns to F7 without losing that blues color.

  • EbF7BbEb

    F7 briefly acts as a secondary dominant, pointing toward the chord after it rather than the main tonic.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, start with 131211, a barre at the 1st fret. Press the barred notes evenly and mute any strings marked x. The x-8-10-8-10-8 shape gives you another position when the neighboring chords sit elsewhere on the neck.

On ukulele, the open shape 2310 is the easiest place to start. The 5556 grip moves the chord to another register.

On piano, play F-A-C-E flat. Move F up an octave to reach the first inversion, A-C-E flat-F; the notes remain the same while the lowest voice changes.

What are the inversions?

F is the root, A the major third, C the fifth and E flat the flat seventh, ten semitones above the root.

  • Root position: F-A-C-E flat, with F lowest.
  • First inversion: A-C-E flat-F, written F7/A if A is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Second inversion: C-E flat-F-A, written F7/C if C is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Third inversion: E flat-F-A-C, written F7/Eb if E flat is lowest in the whole arrangement.

A slash chord names the note in the bass, not merely the lowest note under one hand. Chord Inversions shows how to read that distinction.

How does F7 differ from Fmaj7?

Keep F, A and C; raise the seventh from E flat to E. The result is Fmaj7, whose major seventh changes the pull. Try that one-note change on piano, then use the comparer to hear it in the full chord. See Fmaj7 for the other chord's full spelling and roles.

  • F7

    F - A - C - Eb
    C5

    F dominant 7

  • Fmaj7

    F - A - C - E
    C5

    F major 7

Try another chord