7th Chords On Guitar

7th chords

The 7th chord (also known as dominant 7th) adds another tone to the major triad chord. As the name implies, the added tone is seven steps from the root (following the scale). This chord category is especially common in blues.

Dominant 7 chords

C7

• More C7 chords

D7

• More D7 chords

E7

• More E7 chords

F7

• More F7 chords

G7

• More G7 chords

A7

• More A7 chords

B7

• More B7 chords

Dominant 7 chords with sharp or flat root

C#7 / Db7

• More C#7 chords

D#7 / Eb7

• More D#7 chords

F#7 / Gb7

• More F#7 chords

G#7 / Ab7

• More G#7 chords

A#7 / Bb7

• More A#7 chords

Comments

The chord names are on top of the pictures. The x letters and numbers indicate that the string shouldn't be played or on which frets. This chord category is not to be confused with the major 7th and minor 7th.

Theory

The dominant seventh doesn't fully correspond to the major key, as the 7th note corresponds to the minor scale. This results in a slight dissonant sounding chord. For example C7 includes the notes C, E, G, Bb while the C major scale includes the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C minor scale C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb. The dominant 7th chord can be found on the fifth degree in the major scale. In C major, this would be G7. That is the reason that G7 is common in progression based on the C major key while F7 is not. The table below shows how C major can be harmonized into four-note chords with the dominant 7th appearing as the V chord:

I	ii	iii	IV	V	vi	vii
Cmaj7	Dm7	Em7	Fmaj7	G7	Am	Bm7b5

In chord progressions, the V chord often functions as the second last chord, being unstable and resolving to the “home chord” (I), as in the following progression: C - Am - G7 - C.

Chord structure

The dominant seventh is built with the formula 1-3-5-b7 (root, major 3rd, perfect 5th and minor 7th).

Chord construction

C7 x - C - E - Bb - C - E C#7 x - C# - F - B - C# - x D7 x - x - D - A - C - F# D#7 x - D# - G - C# - D - x E7 E - B - D - G# - B - E F7 F - C - Eb - A - C - F F#7 x - x - F# - A# - C# - E G7 G - B - D - G - B - F G#7 x - x - G# - D# - F# - C A7 x - A - E - G - C# - E A#7 x - x - A# - F - G# - D B7 x - B - D# - A - B - F# Guitar versions of the chord

Notes in chord

C7 C - E - G - Bb C sharp 7 C# - F - G# - B D7 D - F# - A - C D sharp 7 D# - G - A# - C# E7 E - G# - B - D F7 F - A - C - Eb F sharp 7 F# - A# - C# - E G7 G - B - D - F G sharp 7 G# - C - D# - F# A7 A - C# - E - G A sharp 7 A# - D - F - G# B7 B - D# - F# - A The intervals are 1 – 3 – 5 – b7

Progressions

Suggestions of chord sequences that include dominant sevenths:

C - E7 - Am

D - F#7 - G

A chord that resolves into the tonic

In chord progressions, the dominant seventh chord is often used just before the last chord, the tonic. This is because the seventh chord resolves well into the tonic. Some examples: A7 - D D7 - G C7 - F

A few examples with full sequences (including one with D7sus4), using the seventh as a resolving chord, could be as follows: D - Bm - G - A7 - D G - Em - C - D7 - G G - D/F# - Em - C - D7sus4 - D7 - G

And in a minor key: Em - G - D - Am - B7 - Em

From major to dominant

A common method, especially in styles such as country, is to go from major to dominant with the same root: C - C7, D - D7, E - E7 and so on. A few examples of progressions using this idea: A - D - D7 - G D - G - G7 - D

E - A - A7 - C See also: Circle of fifths chord progressions.

Barre chord shapes

The seventh chord is often played as a barre chord. The main movable shapes for dominant 7th barre chords in pictures:

The diagram to the left depicts an E7-shape barre chord for dominant 7th and the diagram to the right depicts an A7-shape barre chord (the lowest string should not be played). You should test that all strings rings clearly. Especially the fourth string in the E7-shape barre chord can be quite problematic.

Movable shape with root on sixth string

Pictured below is an alternative way to play the dominant seventh chord. The shape is movable with the root note on the lowest string. One way to play is by using the thumb on the lowest string and when pluck the rest of the string with the fingers. Bass walks are of course possible and are useful in jazz.

Movable shape with root on fifth string

This is a way to play the dominant seventh chord with a movable shape and this time with the root note on the A-string.

Movable shapes with root on fourth string

And lastly, two movable alternatives. The first with the root on the D-string (the fourth).

Movable shapes without the root as bass note

This is also a popular choice, but remember that this is an inversion. The root note is on the G-string (third string).

Aside from this, there are more inversions that can be important to know about. These are some examples:

C7: XX2313 D7: XX4535

The root is on the 2nd string.

Voicings

Examples of dominant 7th voicings:

G7: 3X300X

This voicing can be combined with G7sus4 (3X301X) as well as C7sus4 (8X806X) plus C7(b5) (8X807X) and D7sus4 (10 X 10 0 8 X) plus Dm7(11,b5) (10 X 10 0 9 X).

7th chord in open position

Here are additional shapes in open position for this chord category:

C#7/Db7: X4310X

7th chord alterations

Alterations means that a note in the chord is altered, for example, a flattened fifth. Here are some examples, using C as root tone (the shapes are movable).

C7#5: X3X354 C7b5: X3435X C7#9: X3234X C7b9: X3232X

We can compare these alterations with the standard dominant seventh:

Chord construction

C7 x - C - E - Bb - C - E C7#5 x - C - x - Bb - E - G# C7b5 x - C - Gb - Bb - E - x C7#9 x - C - E - Bb - D# - x C7b9 x - C - E - Bb - Db - x Guitar versions of the chord

Notes in chord

C7 C - E - G - Bb C7#5 C - E - G# - Bb C7b5 C - E - Gb - Bb C7#9 C - E - G - Bb - D# C7b9 C - E - G - Bb - Db Theoretical order of notes

In C7#5 (C7+5) and C7b5 (C7-5) the fifth are raised or flattened. And in C7#9 (C7+9) and C7b9 (C7-9) a sharp or a flat ninth are added. See the presentation of altered chords. Back to chord types

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