B7 Chord on Guitar: The V7 of E Major

B7 is the chord that makes B major bearable for beginners. The full B major requires either a barre or a stretchy 4-finger shape; B7 is a 4-finger open chord with no barre, and it's the V7 of E major (which means it's in every blues in E and most country songs in E).

B7 is built from B, D sharp, F sharp, and A.

The Standard B7 Fingering

• 1st string (high E): open
• 2nd string (B): open... wait, no. Let me restart.

The actual fingering:

• 1st string (high E): 2nd fret, pinky (or ring)
• 2nd string (B): open
• 3rd string (G): 2nd fret, ring finger (or middle)
• 4th string (D): 1st fret, middle finger (or index)
• 5th string (A): 2nd fret, index finger (or middle)
• 6th string (low E): do not play

Strum strings 1 through 5. The notes are B (5th string, 2nd fret), D sharp (4th string, 1st fret), A (3rd string, 2nd fret), B (open 2nd string), F sharp (1st string, 2nd fret). Five strings, four chord tones.

The most common fingering uses index on the 4th string, middle on the 5th, ring on the 3rd, pinky on the 1st. The trick is fitting four fingers across two frets without anyone touching their neighbors.

Songs That Use B7

• Blues in E. B7 is the V7 chord. E7-A7-B7 is the 12-bar.
• "Stir It Up" by Bob Marley uses B7 in the verse.
• "Folsom Prison Blues." Cash visits B7 (well, the version with capo).
• Most country songs in E. If a country song lives in E, B7 shows up as the V.

Why B7 Resolves to E

B7 is the V7 of E major. The D sharp in B7 wants to rise a half step to E. The A in B7 wants to fall a half step to G sharp (the 3rd of E major). Two voice-leading resolutions in one change.

This is why E7-A7-B7 (the 12-bar in E) feels so satisfying. Each dominant 7th wants to resolve to the next chord, and the harmony pulls you forward through the cycle.

Common B7 Mistakes

• Strumming the low E. The 6th string is not in B7 and adds a non-chord tone. Mute it or skip it.
• Pinky landing on the wrong fret. The pinky on the 1st string at fret 2 is the same fret as the index on the 5th string. Easy to land on fret 1 by mistake.
• Open B muted. The open 2nd string is part of the chord. If your ring finger on the 3rd string lays flat, it'll mute the 2nd string. Stand on the tip.

B7 vs B Major

B7 is dramatically easier than B major. B major (the open-position version, which not every chord chart shows) requires either a barre or a 4-finger stretch with no helpful open strings. B7 has the open 2nd string built in, which gives the chord a free note. Most beginners learn B7 first and learn the full B barre months later.

FAQ: B7 Chord Questions

Why is B7 easier than B major?

Because B7 has one open string (the open B on the 2nd string) that contributes to the chord, while B major has none. The open B saves you a finger.

What chord does B7 want to resolve to?

E (or Em). B7 is the V7 of E major. The D sharp in B7 rises to E, and the A falls to G sharp.

Can I substitute B7 for B?

Sometimes. B7 has more tension than B. In a song that lingers on B as a stable home chord, B7 will sound restless. In a passing V chord, B7 works in place of B.

Is the open B string really part of the B7 chord?

Yes. The 2nd string open is B, which is the root of B7. It's a free note: no finger required.

Why is B7 in so many blues songs?

Because the blues in E uses B7 as the V chord. It's also the V7 in E minor, which is another common blues key. Add to that E being the most-played key on guitar and B7 ends up everywhere.