About the C7 chord
C7 is a C dominant 7th chord built from C, E, G, Bb. Bluesy tension that wants to resolve. The engine of blues, jazz, and early rock.
Root
C
Quality
Dominant 7th
Chord tones
C E G Bb
Shapes
1 · beginner
Notes & intervals
Every dominant 7th chord stacks the same intervals on its root. In C7, that gives you:
root1
Home base. The root names the chord, and every other note is measured from it.
major third3
The major third is the smile in the chord: this note makes it sound happy.
perfect fifth5
The fifth adds weight and strength behind the root.
minor seventh♭7
The minor seventh adds a bluesy itch that wants to resolve.
Used in genres
Dominant 7th chords show up all over the progression catalog, most of all in these styles:
Character & mood
PlayfulBluesy tension that wants to resolve. The engine of blues, jazz, and early rock.