HandyChords

C7 chord on guitar

C Dominant Seventh. Notes: C, E, G and Bb.

C7 guitar chord diagram, open position×3CR2E34Bbb71CRCEBbCE
Open position · Easy

How to play C7

  1. Put your index finger on the 2nd (B) string at fret 1 (C).
  2. Put your middle finger on the 4th (D) string at fret 2 (E).
  3. Put your ring finger on the 5th (A) string at fret 3 (C).
  4. Put your pinky finger on the 3rd (G) string at fret 3 (Bb).
  5. Let the open high E string ring.
  6. Don't play the low E string: skip it or mute it with a fretting finger.
  7. Strum from the A string down.
Lowest note: C (the root)Strings played: 5 of 6Other voicings: 3 below

All 4 ways to play C7

Easiest first. Tap play to hear each one.
C7 guitar chord, open position×3CR2E34Bbb71CRCEBbCE

Open position

Easy
C7 guitar chord, barre at fret 55fr××1G51CR1E32Bbb7GCEBb

Barre at fret 5

Medium
C7 guitar chord, barre at fret 33fr×1CR3G51Bbb74E31G5CGBbEG

Barre at fret 3

Medium
C7 guitar chord, barre at fret 88fr1CR3G51Bbb72E31G51CRCGBbEGC

Barre at fret 8

Hard

Notes and theory

Croot
E3 · major third
G5 · perfect fifth
Bbb7 · minor seventh

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 Cdom7.

Keys that use C7

F major V7D minor VII7
C7 on ukuleleC7 on piano

More C chords

All C guitar chords
C guitar chord diagram×3CR2E31CRCEGCECmajorCm guitar chord diagram×3CR2Ebb31CR4G5CEbGCGCmminorCm7 guitar chord diagram4fr××2G53CR1Ebb34Bbb7GCEbBbCm7minor seventhCmaj7 guitar chord diagram2G53CR1E3GCEGBECmaj7major seventhCsus4 guitar chord diagram×2CR3F41CR4G5CFGCGCsus4suspended fourthCsus2 guitar chord diagram×3CR1CR4G5CDGCGCsus2suspended secondCdim guitar chord diagram3fr××1CR2Gbb54CR3Ebb3CGbCEbCdimdiminishedCaug guitar chord diagram××3CR2E31G##51CRCEG#CCaugaugmentedC6 guitar chord diagram×4CR2E33A61CRCEACEC6major sixthC9 guitar chord diagram2CR3E34D9ECEGDEC9dominant ninthCadd9 guitar chord diagram×2CR1E33D9CEGDECadd9added ninthCm7b5 guitar chord diagram××1CR3Gbb52Bbb74Ebb3CGbBbEbCm7b5half-diminishedCdim7 guitar chord diagram××1Ebb33Abb72CR4Gbb5EbACGbCdim7diminished seventhC7sus4 guitar chord diagram5fr××1G51CR2F43Bbb7GCFBbC7sus4dominant seventh suspended fourthC5 guitar chord diagram3fr××××1CR3G5CGC5power chordCm6 guitar chord diagram3fr××1CR3G52Ebb34A6CGEbACm6minor sixthCm9 guitar chord diagram×1CR2Bbb74Ebb33G5CDBbEbGCm9minor ninthCmaj9 guitar chord diagram×3CRCDGBECmaj9major ninth

dominant seventh chords in every key

C7C#7D7D#7E7F7F#7G7G#7A7A#7B7

Questions

What notes are in the C7 chord?

C7 (C dominant seventh) is made of four notes: C (root), E (major third), G (perfect fifth) and Bb (minor seventh).

How do you play C7 on guitar?

The easiest C7 is the "open position" shape. Put your index finger on the 2nd (B) string at fret 1 (C). Put your middle finger on the 4th (D) string at fret 2 (E). Put your ring finger on the 5th (A) string at fret 3 (C).

Is C7 hard to play on guitar?

No. The easiest version is rated easy and uses 4 fretted notes plus open strings.

What key is C7 in?

C7 belongs to 2 keys: F major (as the V7 chord) and D 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.