E7 Chord on Guitar
Notes E G♯ B D. Start with open E7 (0 2 0 1 0 0): the open E with the ring finger lifted off string 4.
Chord · E7 dominant 7th
Open E7 · 0 2 0 1 0 0
open strings
E7, four fingers · 0 2 2 1 3 0
open strings
D7-shape, 4 strings (fret 2) · x x 2 4 3 4
movable, no open strings
A7-shape barre (fret 7) · x 7 9 7 9 7
barre, movable
E7-shape barre (fret 12) · 12 14 12 13 12 12
barre, movable
1 E3 G♯5 B♭7 D
- String 6 (low E): open
- String 5 (A): middle (2), fret 2
- String 4 (D): open
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 1
- String 2 (B): open
- String 1 (high e): open
- String 6 (low E): open
- String 5 (A): middle (2), fret 2
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 2
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 1
- String 2 (B): pinky (4), fret 3
- String 1 (high e): open
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): index (1), fret 2
- String 3 (G): ring (3), fret 4
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 3
- String 1 (high e): pinky (4), fret 4
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at fret 7
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 7
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 9
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 7
- String 2 (B): pinky (4), fret 9
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 7
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 12
- String 6 (low E): index (1), fret 12
- String 5 (A): ring (3), fret 14
- String 4 (D): index (1), fret 12
- String 3 (G): middle (2), fret 13
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 12
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 12
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from E |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root |
| 3 | G♯ | major 3rd |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | D | minor 7th |
Formula 1 3 5 ♭7 (dominant 7th).
Also written E 7th, E dominant 7th.
More on this chord type: Dominant 7th chords · 7th chords explained
Capo shapes that sound as E7
Open shapes you may already know, moved up with a capo.
D7 shape + capo 2
C7 shape + capo 4
B7 shape + capo 5
A7 shape + capo 7
Need the capo fret for a whole song? Capo calculator: any song key, any shapes. New to the capo? How to use a capo.
Where E7 leads
As a dominant 7th, E7 is the V7 of A major and pulls to A: E7 → A.
| 12-bar blues in | E7 is the | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| E | I7 | |
| B | IV7 | |
| A | V7 |
Keys that contain E7
| Key | E7 is the |
|---|---|
| A major | V7 |
| F♯ minor | VII7 |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing E7: what goes wrong
E7 leads to A
E7 is the V7 chord of A major and, in a 12-bar blues in E, the home chord. Changing E to E7 just before A makes the move to A sound stronger.
The 4-finger E7
0 2 2 1 3 0 keeps the full E and adds D, the 7th, on string 2 at fret 3 with the pinky. The 7th is on top, so it stands out more than in the open E7.
Related chords
Learn and practise E7
- Metronomepractise the change to E7 at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in E7?
E, G♯, B, D: the 1, 3, 5, ♭7 of the E7 dominant 7th chord.
What is the difference between E and E7?
E7 adds D, the flat 7th: E, G♯, B, D. Lift the finger from string 4 fret 2 and the open D string gives it.