E7 chord (E dominant 7th) on guitar

How to finger E7, 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 E7 chord

E7 is E dominant 7th. Notes: E – B – D – G#. 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): open
  • String 5 (A): fret 2
  • String 4 (D): open
  • String 3 (G): fret 1
  • String 2 (B): open
  • String 1 (e): open

Where it appears

E7 is found in these keys: A (V7), E (I7 (blues)), B (IV7 (blues)).

Progressions with E7

Every progression starts on E7 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.

  • E7 – A7 – E7 – B7 (I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7)
  • E7 – A7B7A7 (I7 – IV7 – V7 – IV7)

Try it in practice

Practise chord changes

Other popular chords

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