D7 Guitar Chord

213

D7

NameD dominant 7
NotesDF#AC
IntervalsRroot3major 3rd55thb7flat 7th

Root

Chord type

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Shape

Tone

Dots show

D7 is D major with a bluesy twist: one note changes and the chord wants to move on to G. Like D, it uses only the top four strings.

How to play the D7 chord

  1. Don't play the low E and A strings.
  2. Put your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the G string (A).
  3. Put your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the B string (C).
  4. Put your 3rd finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string (F#).
  5. Let the D string ring open (D).
  6. Strum from the D string down, skipping the strings above it.

TipIt looks like an upside-down D shape. Start your strum on the open D string.

5 ways to play D7

Every shape below is a real D7, checked note by note: D, F#, A, C and nothing else. Easiest first, with the dark dot on the root.

D7 chord diagram, open: x x 0 2 1 2
Open EasyWith sound The one most players learn first. This is the shape you hear on the play button.
D7 chord diagram, 3rd fret: x 5 4 5 3 x
3rd fret Medium The open C7 shape moved up, root on the A string. A fuller sound, but a stretch.
D7 chord diagram, barre, 5th fret: x 5 7 5 7 5
Barre, 5th fret Medium Root on the A string. The open A7 shape moved up with a barre, a movable shape for any dominant 7 chord.
D7 chord diagram, barre, 10th fret: 10 12 10 11 10 10
Barre, 10th fret Medium Root on the low E string. It's the open E7 shape moved up with your 1st finger as the nut, so you can slide it to any dominant 7 chord.
D7 chord diagram, 12th fret: x x 12 14 13 14
12th fret Medium 4 strings, root on the D string. Higher and lighter, great for a second guitar part.

D vs D7: hear the difference

D7 is D plus C (the flat 7th). Play them back to back:

D7

DF#AC

Bluesy and restless

D

DF#A

Bright and settled

Chord progressions with D7

Chords make sense once you move between them. Press play to hear each progression with the real recordings, one chord per bar, then play along. Tap any chord to open its page.

Blues shuffle

I7 - IV7 - I7 - V7 in D
D7 G7 D7 A7
In the blues every chord is a 7.

The V7 going home

I - IV - V7 - I in G
G C D7 G
A dominant 7 wants to resolve to the chord a 5th below.

Minor key V7

i - iv - V7 - i in G minor
Gm Cm D7 Gm
The same pull, in a minor key.

Practice changing to D7

Switching chords cleanly is what makes a new chord usable in a song. Start the timer, then go back and forth between D7 and the chord you picked, strumming each one, and keep a count in your head. Your hands stay on the guitar the whole time. When it beeps, type in your count and try to beat it next time.

D7 to G7

60seconds

-last try

-your best

Practice D7 with

Songs that use D7

  • Hey Good Lookin' by Hank WilliamsVerse C-D7-G7-C
  • Oye Como Va by SantanaWhole song vamps Am7-D7
  • This Land Is Your Land by Woody GuthrieG-D-A-D-D7 progression
  • Bad, Bad Leroy Brown by Jim CroceVerse G-A7-B7-C-D7

Learn it with a teacher

Diagrams show you where your fingers go. A teacher shows you how to make it sound good. Start with these video lessons from the Infinite Guitar library:

Blues Basics - The Chords Free with an account · Chris Feener Chord Changes for Beginners - Transitions Free with an account · Chris Feener Mastering Bar Chords - Introduction Free with an account · Chris Feener

Access these lessons with a free account. No payment needed. Sign up free

Chords that go with D7

G7dominant 7A7dominant 7GmajorCmajorGmminorCmminor

Other D chords

DmajorDmminorDmaj7major 7Dm7minor 7Dsus4suspended 4D7sus47 suspended 4D5power chordD6major 6Dm6minor 6D9dominant 9DaugaugmentedDdim7diminished 7

Other dominant 7 chords

C7C E G BbC#7C# E# G# BEb7Eb G Bb DbE7E G# B DF7F A C EbF#7F# A# C# EG7G B D FAb7Ab C Eb GbA7A C# E GBb7Bb D F AbB7B D# F# A

See all 154 chords in the Guitar Chord Chart

D7 chord FAQ

What notes are in a D7 chord?

D7 has 4 notes: D (the root), F# (the major 3rd), A (the 5th) and C (the flat 7th). Every D7 shape on the guitar is those notes in a different order.

What is the difference between D and D7?

D7 is D plus C (the flat 7th). Use the player above to hear both.

Is D7 hard to play?

No, it's one of the easier ones: 3 fingers and no barre, and the open strings do some of the work. Practice switching to it from a chord you already know.

How do you play D7 as a barre chord?

Barre the 5th fret with your 1st finger, using the A shape (x-5-7-5-7-5). That shape is movable: slide it up or down and it plays a dominant 7 chord on every fret.

What key is D7 in?

It's the V7 chord in G major and G minor, and the I7 chord in a blues in D.