Learn › D7 Chord Inversions: All Four Positions
New Released in April 2026
D7 Chord Inversions: All Four Positions
D dominant 7th chord inversions: four positions, D7, D7/F#, D7/A and D7/C. Same four notes (D F# A C), a different one in the bass. Below: each position on the keyboard, a one-look rule to tell them apart, fingering and a ii-V-I that uses them.
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- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
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The four positions of D7
Root position starts on D, then F#, A and C.
Root position: D F# A C
1st inversion: F# A C D
2nd inversion: A C D F#
3rd inversion: C D F# A
- Root position: starts on D, a white key; black keys: F#
- 1st inversion: starts on F#, a black key; black keys: F#
- 2nd inversion: starts on A, a white key; black keys: F#
- 3rd inversion: starts on C, a white key; black keys: F#
Move through Am7 → D7 → Gmaj7 without jumping
This is why pianists learn seventh-chord inversions: Am7 → D7 → Gmaj7 keeps the hand in one place.
- From Am7 to D7: C stays, E → D, G → F#, A stays.
- From D7 to Gmaj7: C → B, D stays, F# stays, A → G.
How to tell the D7 inversions apart
One rule: find the pair of neighbouring notes. Its place tells you the inversion, and its upper note is the root.
| Position | Bass | Name | Figured bass | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | D | D7 | 7 | no neighbours: four notes evenly stacked (major 3rd + minor 3rd + minor 3rd) |
| 1st inversion | F# | D7/F# | 6/5 | neighbours at the top (minor 3rd + minor 3rd + major 2nd) |
| 2nd inversion | A | D7/A | 4/3 | neighbours in the middle (minor 3rd + major 2nd + major 3rd) |
| 3rd inversion | C | D7/C | 4/2 | neighbours at the bottom (major 2nd + major 3rd + minor 3rd) |
Fingering for D7 in every position
| Position | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|
| Root position (D F# A C) | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 1st inversion (F# A C D) | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 2nd inversion (A C D F#) | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 3rd inversion (C D F# A) | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
Four notes, four fingers: 1-2-3-5 in the right hand and 5-3-2-1 in the left work in every position.
Practise D7 in every position
ChordRunner accepts every voicing, so you can drill all four positions of D7 between other chords. MIDI keyboard or microphone.
Play the demoCommon questions
What are the inversions of D7?
Root position D F# A C, 1st inversion F# A C D (D7/F#), 2nd inversion A C D F# (D7/A) and 3rd inversion C D F# A (D7/C).
How do I recognise the 3rd inversion of D7?
The seventh, C, is in the bass and sits right next to the root D above it: the pair of neighbouring notes is at the bottom.
Can I practise D7 inversions with a MIDI keyboard or microphone?
Yes. ChordRunner detects a USB MIDI keyboard automatically and also hears a piano through the microphone; every inversion of D7 counts.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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