BeginnerDominant 7th

E7 Chord

The E7 is a dominant 7th chord that sounds bluesy, tense, and yearning to resolve. Dominant 7th chords are the engine of blues and jazz. Their inherent tension wants to resolve, making them perfect for transitions and turnarounds.

Notes:ERoot (1)G#Major 3rd (3)BPerfect 5th (5)DMinor 7th (b7)

Open Position

E7342

Chord Diagrams

Open Position

Uses a barre chord technique

E7342

Barre Shape — Fret 7

Uses a barre chord technique

E77fr✕12341

How to Play E7

Follow these steps for the open position fingering:

Barre technique: Press your index finger flat across all strings at fret 0 to form the barre, then add the remaining fingers on top.
#StringInstructionNote
1Low E (6th string)○Open — play the open stringE
2A (5th string)●Fret 2 with your ring fingerG#
3D (4th string)●Fret 2 with your pinky fingerB
4G (3rd string)●Fret 1 with your middle fingerD
5B (2nd string)○Open — play the open stringE
6High E (1st string)○Open — play the open stringG#

○ = Open string (no fingers needed)

✕ = Muted string (don't play)

● = Press your finger down firmly just behind the fret

Notes in E7

The E7 chord is built from 4 distinct notes, each serving a harmonic role:

E
Root (1)
The root — gives the chord its name
G#
Major 3rd (3)
The major third — creates the bright sound
B
Perfect 5th (5)
The fifth — adds power and stability
D
Minor 7th (b7)
Extended tone — adds richness and color

Songs Using E7

These songs from our play-along library feature the E7 chord:

Here Comes the Sun

The Beatles

intermediate

Give Me One Reason

Tracy Chapman

intermediate

Other E Chords

Explore other chord types built on the same root note:

EMajorBEmMinorBEmaj7Major 7thBEm7Minor 7thBEsus2Suspended 2ndBEsus4Suspended 4thB

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Explore on Fretboard

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