dominant seventh chord
B seven chord on guitar
Four fingers in a small cluster. The first chord that uses the pinky, and the one that makes E songs work.
Where the fingers go
- 1
middle finger, A string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A.
- 2
index finger, D string, fret 1
Count from the thick string: E A D.
- 3
ring finger, G string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
- 4
pinky, thin e string, fret 2
The thinnest string, nearest the floor.
- 5
Leave the B string open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
- 6
Strum 5 strings, from the A string down
Skip the thick E. It would add a note that does not belong.
The notes in B7
A chord is three or four notes played together. B seven is built from these:
| Note | Job in the chord | Where it is in this shape |
|---|---|---|
| B | root | A string, fret 2; B string, open |
| D# | major third | D string, fret 1 |
| F# | fifth | thin e string, fret 2 |
| A | flat seventh | G string, fret 2 |
The root, B, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds restless, it wants to move on.
Where it sits on the circle of fifths
The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.
- E and F# are B7’s neighbours. Most songs in B7 use one or both.
- G#m is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.
- A seventh chord pulls to the chord one step anticlockwise. B7 wants to go to E or E minor.
The mistake everyone makes
Watch out
Muting the open B string
The B string rings open in the middle of the shape. Keep the middle and ring fingers on their tips.
Tip
Learn it after E and A
E, A and B7 are the three chords of a blues in E. B7 is the one worth the effort.
Songs that use it
The key of E, and blues in E. It pulls to E.
None of the songs on the site use B7 yet. It is coming with the next batch.
Questions people ask
- Which strings do I strum for B seven?
- 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
- What notes are in a B seven chord?
- B, D#, F#, A. The B is the root, the note the chord is named after. The D# makes it major.
- What chords go with B7?
- Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, E and F#, and its relative minor, G#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.