Mandolin · Level 4 · Beginner
Dominant seventh chords in C major on Mandolin
Don’t just read about Dominant seventh chords in C major. Play it.
Create a free TempoJam account in 30 seconds. Then try the tuner, metronome and Jam Room free for 14 days and record your first take tonight.
Adding a flat seventh to a major chord gives the bluesy, restless sound of a dominant seventh. Blues players often use it on every chord.
C7
Notes: C · E · G · B♭
F7
Notes: F · A · C · E♭
G7
Notes: G · B · D · F
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: C7, F7 and G7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Mandolin frets are close together, so reach with the fingertips and press each pair of strings evenly.
- Set the tempo to 57 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Find the seventh in each shape and make sure it is actually sounding.
- Strum down on every beat, then try the bluegrass “chop”: a short, muted strum on beats two and four.
- Raise the tempo to 76 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the slight bite of the seventh against the root.
Listen for
Aim for the slight bite of the seventh against the root. A common mistake is leaving out the seventh so the chord sounds plain major.
Why it works
A dominant seventh contains a tritone between its third and seventh, which creates the urge to resolve.
C major has no sharps or flats; its relative minor key is A minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I7–IV7–V7 in C major?
In C major the progression is C7 | C7 | F7 | F7 | C7 | C7 | G7 | C7.
What is the key signature of C major?
C major has no sharps or flats. Its relative minor is A minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 4 lesson (beginner). If it feels too hard, start with “The minor pop progression”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
Start practising free