D7 chord (D dominant 7th) on guitar

How to finger D7, which notes it contains and which chords it is played with. Tap the diagram to hear it, then play it below in a progression with other chords.

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About the D7 chord

D7 is D dominant 7th. Notes: D – C – F#. Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7.

Difficulty: easy (1 out of 3). Few fingers and a comfortable position: fine from the first weeks. The chord is common, especially in blues, rock and pop, so it is worth knowing after the basics.

How to place your fingers

  • String 6 (E): do not play
  • String 5 (A): do not play
  • String 4 (D): open
  • String 3 (G): do not play
  • String 2 (B): fret 1
  • String 1 (e): fret 2

Where it appears

D7 is found in these keys: G (V7), D (I7 (blues)), A (IV7 (blues)).

Progressions with D7

Every progression starts on D7 and all its chords come from one key, so the changes sound natural. Play them in the block above; the Roman numerals show each chord's degree.

  • D7 – G7 – D7 – A7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7)
  • D7 – G7A7G7 (I7 – IV7 – V7 – IV7)

Try it in practice

Practise chord changes

Other popular chords

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