A7 chord on guitar
A Dominant Seventh. Notes: A, C#, E and G.
How to play A7
- Put your middle finger on the 4th (D) string at fret 2 (E).
- Put your ring finger on the 2nd (B) string at fret 2 (C#).
- Let the open A, G and high E strings ring.
- Don't play the low E string: skip it or mute it with a fretting finger.
- Strum from the A string down.
All 4 ways to play A7
Easiest first. Tap play to hear each one.Open position
EasyBarre at fret 2
MediumFret 7 position
MediumBarre at fret 5
HardNotes and theory
The dominant seventh adds a minor seventh to a major triad. It sounds restless and wants to resolve, which is why it shows up right before the home chord and all over blues. The formula is 1 3 5 b7, and you will also see it written as Adom7.
Keys that use A7
More A chords
All A guitar chordsdominant seventh chords in every key
Questions
What notes are in the A7 chord?
A7 (A dominant seventh) is made of four notes: A (root), C# (major third), E (perfect fifth) and G (minor seventh).
How do you play A7 on guitar?
The easiest A7 is the "open position" shape. Put your middle finger on the 4th (D) string at fret 2 (E). Put your ring finger on the 2nd (B) string at fret 2 (C#). Let the open A, G and high E strings ring.
Is A7 hard to play on guitar?
No. The easiest version is rated easy and uses 2 fretted notes plus open strings.
What key is A7 in?
A7 belongs to 2 keys: D major (as the V7 chord) and B minor (as the VII7 chord).
What does a dominant seventh chord sound like?
The dominant seventh adds a minor seventh to a major triad. It sounds restless and wants to resolve, which is why it shows up right before the home chord and all over blues.