A dominant 7th · Ukulele

A7 Chord on Ukulele

The A7 chord (A dominant 7th) is built from the notes A, C#, E and G. The ukulele fingering for it is shown below.

Chord diagrams

A7open position
A7 chord diagram for ukulele11

Fingering

  • string 4 (G): played open
  • string 3 (C): fret 1 — index finger
  • string 2 (E): played open
  • string 1 (A): played open

Notes in this chord

  • A
  • C♯
  • E
  • G

Degrees: 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7

How to play

A7 can be played with open strings on ukulele, which makes it an accessible shape for beginners. Strings marked ○ ring open, while strings marked ✕ are muted.

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 A7 this structure sits on the root A, so the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 map onto A, C#, E and G.

Frequently asked questions

Which notes are in the A7 chord?
A7 contains the notes A, C#, E and G. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7.
How many ways can you play A7?
Minory lists a single ukulele fingering for A7.
Is the A7 chord hard to play?
Not really. The open position of A7 uses open strings and needs no barre, which makes it approachable for beginners.

Practise A7 on your phone

Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.

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