E7 Guitar Chord

21

E7

NameE dominant 7
NotesEG#BD
IntervalsRroot3major 3rd55thb7flat 7th

Root

Chord type

  • Space Play
  • Left arrowRight arrow Root
  • Up arrowDown arrow Chord type

Shape

Tone

Dots show

E7 is the easiest seventh chord there is: it's E major with one finger lifted, so the open D string adds the bluesy flat 7th.

How to play the E7 chord

  1. Put your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the A string (B).
  2. Put your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the G string (G#).
  3. Let the low E, D, B and high E strings ring open (E, D, B, E).
  4. Strum from the low E string down.

TipPlay E major, then lift your 3rd finger off the D string. That's it.

5 ways to play E7

Every shape below is a real E7, checked note by note: E, G#, B, D and nothing else. Easiest first, with the dark dot on the root.

E7 chord diagram, open: 0 2 0 1 0 0
Open EasyWith sound The one most players learn first. This is the shape you hear on the play button.
E7 chord diagram, 2nd fret: x x 2 4 3 4
2nd fret Medium 4 strings, root on the D string. Higher and lighter, great for a second guitar part.
E7 chord diagram, 5th fret: x 7 6 7 5 x
5th fret Medium The open C7 shape moved up, root on the A string. A fuller sound, but a stretch.
E7 chord diagram, barre, 7th fret: x 7 9 7 9 7
Barre, 7th fret Medium Root on the A string. The open A7 shape moved up with a barre, a movable shape for any dominant 7 chord.
E7 chord diagram, barre, 12th fret: 12 14 12 13 12 12
Barre, 12th 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.

E vs E7: hear the difference

E7 is E plus D (the flat 7th). Play them back to back:

E7

EG#BD

Bluesy and restless

E

EG#B

Bright and settled

Chord progressions with E7

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 E
E7 A7 E7 B7
In the blues every chord is a 7.

The V7 going home

I - IV - V7 - I in A
A D E7 A
A dominant 7 wants to resolve to the chord a 5th below.

Minor key V7

i - iv - V7 - i in A minor
Am Dm E7 Am
The same pull, in a minor key.

Practice changing to E7

Switching chords cleanly is what makes a new chord usable in a song. Start the timer, then go back and forth between E7 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.

E7 to A7

60seconds

-last try

-your best

Practice E7 with

Songs that use E7

  • Hit the Road Jack by Ray CharlesLast chord of Am-G-F-E7
  • Hallelujah by Leonard CohenEnd of verse F-G-E7-Am
  • Don't Look Back in Anger by OasisVerse C-G-Am-E7-F
  • Imagine by John LennonChorus C-Cmaj7-E-E7-F

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 E7

A7dominant 7B7dominant 7AmajorDmajorAmminorDmminor

Other E chords

EmajorEmminorEmaj7major 7Em7minor 7Esus4suspended 4E7sus47 suspended 4E5power chordE6major 6Em6minor 6E9dominant 9EaugaugmentedEdim7diminished 7

Other dominant 7 chords

C7C E G BbC#7C# E# G# BD7D F# A CEb7Eb G Bb DbF7F 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

E7 chord FAQ

What notes are in an E7 chord?

E7 has 4 notes: E (the root), G# (the major 3rd), B (the 5th) and D (the flat 7th). Every E7 shape on the guitar is those notes in a different order.

What is the difference between E and E7?

E7 is E plus D (the flat 7th). Use the player above to hear both.

Is E7 hard to play?

No, it's one of the easier ones: 2 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 E7 as a barre chord?

Barre the 7th fret with your 1st finger, using the A shape (x-7-9-7-9-7). That shape is movable: slide it up or down and it plays a dominant 7 chord on every fret.

What key is E7 in?

It's the V7 chord in A major and A minor, and the I7 chord in a blues in E.