F7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - m - i - m · Alternating Folk (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The 1st string repeats the F of the 6th. This pattern leaves it out. All 6 arpeggios
Alternating picking with steady pulse.
F7 is built from F, A, C and Eb. F is the root, A the major third, C the fifth and Eb the minor seventh. Said aloud, its notes are F, A, C and E flat.
From the low string to the high one you hear F, C, Eb, A, C and F. The root, F, shows up twice in the main shape. The lowest and highest notes are both F, two octaves apart, on strings 6 and 1.
You play F7 with a barre at fret 1. Everything fits between frets 1 and 3. Besides the main one there are two more shapes, at frets 3 and 8.
F is one change away. String 4 moves from fret 1 to fret 3, bringing in F, the root of F. It shares two notes with Dm, F and A. Going to Dm, two positions stay the same.
F7 belongs to two keys. In Bb major it is the V7 and in Bb minor the V7.
F 1A 3C 5Eb ♭7
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 1 (F)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 1. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 3, 3rd String (G) at fret 2.
Placement tip: Barre fret 8. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 10, 2nd String (B) at fret 10. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 3 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 5 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 4 with your Middle finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 5 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 5th String (A).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 1 to 3 |
| Barre | fret 1, from the 6th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | none |
At fret 1, only the barre sounds the 6th, 4th, 2nd, and 1st strings.
Listen: F7 → F · Dm · Bbm
F7 sits in the scale of 2 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the F7 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.
The primary bass note of the F7 chord is its root note: F. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 1.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The F7 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Dominant Seventh). Its constituent pitches are F, A, C, Eb.
To prevent fret buzz on the F7 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
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