C seventh arpeggio on piano
The C seventh arpeggio (C7) has 4 notes: C, E, G, B♭ (C, E, G, and B flat), degrees 1, 3, 5, ♭7 of the chord. It uses 1 black key: B♭.
- C 1
- E 3
- G 5
- B♭ B flat ♭7
The lit keys are the notes of the arpeggio, with the name and the degree; the root (C) has the strongest color. Tap a key to hear it; Listen plays up and down. The small dot marks middle C (C4).
Fingering
This page does not show a fingering. In piano methods the arpeggio fingering changes with the key (black keys move the thumb crossing) and with the hand, and no single rule covers every arpeggio here. Follow the one in your method book or from your teacher.
Formula
- C
- 4
- E
- 3
- G
- 3
- B♭
- 2
- C
Degrees: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 (root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh). Distance between the notes: 4 – 3 – 3 – 2 semitones, counting the step back to the upper root.
About the seventh chord
The dominant seventh chord carries a tension that "wants" to go somewhere: the third and the seventh form a tritone that resolves down a fifth (G7 → C). It is the V chord of any key, the sound of the blues (where every chord can take a seventh) and a staple of country and swing.
The chord and the scale
- C seventh chord (C7) The chord on the keyboard, with its inversions
- C Mixolydian scale The scale to practice with it: it has every note of the arpeggio plus the ones in between.
Other C scales with every note of the arpeggio
More C arpeggios
- Major (C)
- Minor (Cm)
- Seventh (C7)
- Major seventh (C7M)
- Minor seventh (Cm7)
- Half-diminished (Cm7(♭5))
- Diminished seventh (C°7)
- Augmented (C+)
The seventh arpeggio in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the C seventh arpeggio?
The C seventh arpeggio (C7) has the notes C, E, G, and B flat: degrees 1, 3, 5, ♭7 of the chord.
How do you play the C seventh arpeggio on piano?
Start on C and go up through the keys C, E, G, B♭ to the C above; for two octaves, repeat the pattern one octave higher. It uses 1 black key: B♭.
Which scale goes with the C seventh arpeggio?
The C Mixolydian scale, which has every note of the arpeggio. These also have all of them: C Nordestina (Brazilian baião) scale, C Phrygian dominant scale, and C dominant diminished (half-whole) scale.