E dominant 7th · Guitar
E7 Chord on Guitar
The E7 chord (E dominant 7th) is built from the notes E, G#, B and D. 2 different guitar fingerings for it are shown below.
Chord diagrams
Fingering
- string 6 (E): played open
- string 5 (A): fret 2 — middle finger
- string 4 (D): played open
- string 3 (G): fret 1 — index finger
- string 2 (B): played open
- string 1 (E): played open
Fingering
- string 6 (E): muted
- string 5 (A): fret 4 — index finger
- string 4 (D): fret 6 — ring finger
- string 3 (G): fret 4 — index finger
- string 2 (B): fret 6 — little finger
- string 1 (E): fret 4 — index finger
Notes in this chord
- E
- G♯
- B
- D
Degrees: 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7
How to play
E7 has 1 open position and 1 barre shape. Start with the open voicing if you are new to it; the barre shapes exist to move the same chord further up the neck without changing the key.
Theory behind the chord
Dominant seventh chords add a minor seventh on top of a major triad. The tension between the third and the seventh is what makes them pull towards the chord a fourth above — the engine of blues and jazz turnarounds. On E7 this structure sits on the root E, so the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 map onto E, G#, B and D.
Frequently asked questions
- Which notes are in the E7 chord?
- E7 contains the notes E, G#, B and D. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7.
- How many ways can you play E7?
- Minory lists 2 guitar fingerings for E7, 1 of which is a barre shape. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.
- Is the E7 chord hard to play?
- Not really. The open position of E7 uses open strings and needs no barre, which makes it approachable for beginners.
Practise E7 on your phone
Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.
