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E7 Guitar Chord

E7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
E7Guitar fingering diagram for E7123421STRING6ªE5ªB4ªD3ªG#2ªB1ªE
View HD sheet

What sets E7 apart

Play E7 one string at a time and you hear E, G#, B and D. E is the root, G# the major third, B the fifth and D the minor seventh. Said aloud, its notes are E, G sharp, B and D.

String by string, low to high, it plays E, B, D, G#, B and E. Of the six strings you play, two give E, the note that names the chord. The lowest and highest notes are both E, two octaves apart, on strings 6 and 1.

The open strings add notes to E7 too. String 6 gives E, string 4 gives D, string 2 gives B and string 1 gives E. Your hand covers two frets, from 1 to 2. There is one more position, starting at fret 7.

Change only string 4 in E7 and you have E. E7 and C#m have E and G# in common. Bm shares one position with this shape.

E7 belongs to two keys. In A major it is the V7 and in A minor the V7.

Chord Progressions

Harmonic circles featuring the E7 chord:

01A A - F#m - Bm - E702Am Am - F - Dm - E7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (E7)

Formula: Dominant Seventh (1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7)
Constituent chord intervals:

E 1G# 3B 5D ♭7

Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 0 (E)

String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for E7:

01

Standard

Standard Position
6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
○Open
EDegree 1
5th String (A)
Fret 2Finger 2
BDegree 5
4th String (D)
○Open
DDegree ♭7
3rd String (G)
Fret 1Finger 1
G#Degree 3
2nd String (B)
○Open
BDegree 5
1st String (High E)
○Open
EDegree 1

Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 1 with your Index finger. Play open: 6th String (Low E), 4th String (D), 2nd String (B), 1st String (High E).

02

Barre 7

Barre fret 7
5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
Fret 7Barre
EDegree 1
4th String (D)
Fret 9
BDegree 5
3rd String (G)
Fret 7Barre
DDegree ♭7
2nd String (B)
Fret 9
G#Degree 3
1st String (High E)
Fret 7Barre
BDegree 5

Placement tip: Barre fret 7. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 9, 2nd String (B) at fret 9. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (E7)

Standard Position
Key Principle:

Finger 2 on string 5 fret 2 and finger 1 on string 3 fret 1. Strings 6, 4, 2, and 1 ring open.

Thumb Placement: Resting comfortably behind fret 2 at neck center.

Most Common Beginner Mistake:

Leaning finger 2 into the adjacent open D string, muffling the key interval that gives the chord its blues signature.

Immediate Solution: Form a high 90-degree knuckle arch on finger 2. Pluck string 4 individually to confirm it sustains with ringing acoustic clarity.

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets1 to 2
Fretting fingers2
Open6th, 4th, 2nd, and 1st
Mutednone

What to check

The open 6th, 4th, and 2nd strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from E7

Listen: E7 → E · Bm · C

  1. E7
  2. E
  3. E7
  4. Bm
  5. E7
  6. C
E7 → E01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay
Stay in place
  • finger 2: string 5, fret 2
  • finger 1: string 3, fret 1
Move
  • finger 3: string 4, fret 2
E7 → Bm02
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position
Stay in place
  • string 5, fret 2
Move
  • string 4, fret 4
  • string 3, fret 4
  • string 2, fret 3
  • string 1, fret 2
E7 → C03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move
  • finger 3: string 5, fret 3
  • finger 2: string 4, fret 2
  • finger 1: string 2, fret 1

E7 in every key

E7 sits in the scale of 2 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
1/5
Highest fret
2
Frets the hand covers
2
Barre
No
Strings that ring
6/6
Fretting fingers
2

Major keys

Minor keys

E7 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.UkuleleE7 on four strings, with sound.BassE7 as a low-register arpeggio.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (E7)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the E7 chord?

To play the E7 chord on guitar, all 6 strings are played from the 6th string (Low E) to the 1st string (High E). Arch your finger joints perpendicular to the fretboard so adjacent strings ring clearly.

What is the root bass note of the E7 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the E7 chord is its root note: E. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the E7 chord and what is its formula?

The E7 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Dominant Seventh). Its constituent pitches are E, G#, B, D.

How do you prevent the E7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the E7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official E7 chord diagram

E7 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheetView circle (A)→

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Other chords in the E family:

Chord E Chord Eb Chord Em Chord Ebm Chord Eb7 Chord Emaj7 Chord Ebmaj7 Chord Em7