C7
C Dominant 7th
1 3 5 ♭7

Notes in C7

CR
E3
G5
B♭♭7

The C7 chord contains 4 notes: C, E, G, B♭

Intervals

IntervalSemitonesNoteFunction
R0CRoot
34EMajor 3rd
57GPerfect 5th
♭710B♭Minor 7th

About C Dominant 7th Chords

Dominant 7th chords add a flatted 7th to a major triad, creating tension that wants to resolve. They're the backbone of blues, jazz, funk, and rock. In a standard key, the dominant 7th chord built on the 5th degree naturally resolves to the I chord.

Compatible Scales & Modes

These scales contain all the notes of C7 and can be used for soloing, improvising, and writing melodies over this chord.

C Mixolydian
The primary scale for dominant 7th chords — defines blues, rock, and jazz sounds.
C Blues Scale
Minor pentatonic plus the ♭5 'blue note.' Essential for blues soloing over dominant chords.
C Mixolydian ♭9♭13 (Phrygian Dominant)
Used over dominant chords resolving to minor — common in flamenco and jazz.

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