Dominant seventh inversions
With
Tim RichardsLearn how to play D7 inversions on the piano with this great practice routine.
What's in the course
20 lessons (0h 46m) · 1 free
Lesson transcript
Music Lesson on Dominant Seventh Chords
You already know from dominant dissonance that the dominant seventh chord has a flat seventh. It's useful to practice the inversions of these chords as well.
Practicing D7 Inversions
Let's have a go on D7:
- Root Position
- First Inversion
- Second Inversion
- Third Inversion
This sort of practice is really great if you can get into the habit of using a metronome. So, for example:
- Two clicks per chord: 3, 4.
This was at 80 beats per minute.
Of course, you could also try:
- One click per chord eventually.
- A faster tempo once you get the notes cleanly in place.
Fingering Suggestions
In order to get the notes cleanly in place, I suggest using 1, 2, 3, 5 fingering for all the shapes. Alternatively, you might want to:
- Put your fourth finger on top for the first inversion.
Don't forget the left hand as well! Again, practice this with a metronome.
Broken Chord Patterns
Also, broken chord patterns are really useful, so I'll just demonstrate that quickly. You can see the fingering I'm using on the PDF.
Here's a D7 broken chord following the same shapes that you've just played.
Additional Variations
You could try this in:
- Swing
- Triplets
This adds a nice texture, and you'll hear that in the next tune: Five to One Shuffle.
That piece goes up to the ninth root: 3, 5, 7, 9. You'll hear that in the next piece.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Critically acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Tim Richards is one of Britain’s most experienced jazz educators, teaching piano privately for over 30 years, as well as at Morley College, Goldsmiths College, the University of Surrey, Premises Studios and other venues in the UK and abroad. He has produced numerous titles for Schott Music, including the best-selling two-volume Exploring Jazz Piano, Blues, Boogie & Gospel Collection and the acclaimed Improvising Blues Piano. He is also co-author, with John Crawford, of Exploring Latin Piano and Brazilian Piano Collection.
More recently Schott have published Jazz, Latin & Modern Collection (15 pieces for solo piano), comprising Tim Richards originals alongside pieces by Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, and the two volume set Beginning Jazz Piano (now a two-part MusicGurus course).
“The real joy of Tim’s music… is that it is both hugely educational but also such great fun to play. Anyone with the slightest interest in learning to play or teach jazz piano should really acquire a set of Tim’s books.” PianoDao
As a performer Tim has been a presence on the UK jazz scene since the 1980s, also playing the blues with UK and US legends such as Otis Grand, Earl Green, Dana Gillespie, Larry Garner, Joe Louis Walker and Mojo Buford. He has released over a dozen albums as a leader (featuring many of London’s best jazz musicians including Pete King, Gilad Atzmon, Tony Kofi, Jason Yarde, Seb Rochford, Ed Jones, Dick Pearce and many others), and toured all over Europe with line-ups ranging from duo to nine-piece. His latest recording, the album ‘Telegraph Hill’ by the six-piece Hextet, was described in The Observer as "A true joy from beginning to end".
More info can be found on his website www.timrichards.ndo.co.uk
