How to Use Dominant Chords in Music

A dominant chord is a major triad built on the fifth scale degree of either a major scale or a minor scale. Major triads consist of a root note, a major third, and a perfect fifth. A dominant seventh chord adds an additional scale degree—the flat seventh (also called a dominant seventh). Because they're based on the fifth degree of a scale, dominant chords are indicated with the Roman numeral “V” or, in the case of a dominant seventh, with “V7.”

For instance, in the key of G major, the dominant chord (or V chord) would be a D, which is a major chord built on the fifth scale degree of G. A simple D major triad contains the notes D, F♯, and A. This chord becomes a dominant seventh chord (V7) by adding the note C.

Dominant chords—particularly dominant seventh chords—provide a sense of tension, which helps keep music engaging. Their inherent tension comes from a note interval known as a tritone. A tritone is an interval of three whole steps—for instance going up from C to F♯, or from A to D♯. A dominant seventh chord naturally contains a tritone between its third scale degree and its flat seventh scale degree. For instance, an E7 (which is the dominant chord in both the A major key and the A minor key) has a tritone interval between its third (G♯) and its flat seventh (D).

Dominant seventh chords harmoniously resolve into a major triad via voice leading, wherein each note moves stepwise between chords. In the case of an E7 chord, the G♯ resolves up a half-step to the note A, and the D resolves a half-step down to a C♯. These are the first and third scale degrees of an A major chord. The third degree of any V7 chord resolves upward to the first degree of the root chord it's resolving to (such as the way that G♯ resolves up to A). Such notes are called leading tones: They lead to the tonic of the whole chord progression.

Dominant chords are common in every type of tonal music, from Mozart symphonies to Top 40 pop to solo jazz guitar. A standard dominant triad or dominant seventh chord fits into a diatonic scale—meaning the notes of the chord can all be sourced from the key in which you're playing.

For instance, in a C major scale, the dominant function chord is a G7 chord. Its notes, G-B-D-F, are all notes in the C major scale. These notes also fit in a C minor scale (more specifically a C harmonic minor scale, which uses a major seventh instead of the minor seventh found in a natural minor scale—in other words, it uses the note B instead of the note B♭).

Secondary dominants, which are popular in jazz and classical music, give a dominant harmonic function to other chords besides those based on the fifth scale degree. To play a secondary dominant chord:

• Pick a diatonic chord. In the key of A♭ major, the third diatonic chord is Cm, containing the notes C-E♭-G. (In music theory, the third diatonic chord is called the mediant.) You can turn this C-rooted chord into a secondary dominant by changing the chord type.
• Change the tonality of the diatonic chord. Instead of a Cm chord, make it a C7 chord with the notes C-E-G-B♭. Suddenly you've created a dominant chord with a tritone between the notes E and B♭.
• Let your newly created dominant chord resolve to a triad. In the case of the C7 chord, the E resolves up a semitone to F. The B♭ resolves down a semitone to A. These notes, F and A, are the root and major third of an F major chord. Or, if you want the C7 to resolve to a minor chord, you can resolve the B♭ up to the note C. This allows you to produce an Fm chord, if you prefer.

Advanced players will use secondary dominants to insert an extra guitar chord into a progression or to start a modulation to a new key. No matter how you use them, secondary dominants are a great way to add some non-diatonic notes to your music, introducing the kind of tension that keeps audiences engaged.

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