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G7 Guitar Chord

G7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
G7Guitar fingering diagram for G71234321STRING6ªG5ªB4ªD3ªG2ªB1ªF
View HD sheet

What sets G7 apart

The notes of G7 are G, B, D and F. G is the root, B the major third, D the fifth and F the minor seventh.

String by string, low to high, it plays G, B, D, G, B and F. G rings twice across the six strings, and it is the root. It runs from G on string 6 up to F on string 1.

The open strings add notes to G7 too. String 4 gives D, string 3 gives G and string 2 gives B. Your hand covers three frets, from 1 to 3. There is one more position, starting at fret 3.

Change only string 1 in G7 and you have G. G7 and Em have G and B in common. Moving to Dm, you keep one finger down.

You will find G7 in two different keys. In C major it is the V7 and in C minor the V7.

Chord Progressions

Harmonic circles featuring the G7 chord:

01C C - Am - Dm - G702Cm Cm - Ab - Fm - G7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (G7)

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

G 1B 3D 5F ♭7

Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 3 (G)

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

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for G7:

01

Standard

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

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

02

Barre 3

Barre fret 3
6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 3Barre
GDegree 1
5th String (A)
Fret 5
DDegree 5
4th String (D)
Fret 3Barre
FDegree ♭7
3rd String (G)
Fret 4
BDegree 3
2nd String (B)
Fret 3Barre
DDegree 5
1st String (High E)
Fret 3Barre
GDegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 3. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 5, 3rd String (G) at fret 4.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (G7)

Standard Position
Key Principle:

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

Thumb Placement: Behind fret 2 at mid-height to support hand expansion.

Most Common Beginner Mistake:

Leaning the fretting hand backward toward the nut, allowing finger pads to mute the open middle strings.

Immediate Solution: Lower your wrist toward the floor by half an inch to bring fingers 1, 2, and 3 straight onto their tips. Test each string one by one.

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets1 to 3
Fretting fingers3
Open4th, 3rd, and 2nd
Mutednone

What to check

The open 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 G7

Listen: G7 → Dm · Bb · Fm

  1. G7
  2. Dm
  3. G7
  4. Bb
  5. G7
  6. Fm
G7 → Dm01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays
Stay in place
  • finger 1: string 1, fret 1
Move
  • finger 2: string 3, fret 2
  • finger 3: string 2, fret 3
G7 → Bb02
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position
Stay in place
  • string 1, fret 1
Move
  • string 5, fret 1
  • string 4, fret 3
  • string 3, fret 3
  • string 2, fret 3
G7 → Fm03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position
Stay in place
  • string 1, fret 1
Move
  • string 6, fret 1
  • string 5, fret 3
  • string 4, fret 3
  • string 3, fret 1
  • string 2, fret 1

G7 in every key

G7 sits in the scale of 2 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
1/5
Highest fret
3
Frets the hand covers
3
Barre
No
Strings that ring
6/6
Fretting fingers
3

Major keys

Minor keys

G7 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.UkuleleG7 on four strings, with sound.BassG7 as a low-register arpeggio.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (G7)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the G7 chord?

To play the G7 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 G7 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the G7 chord is its root note: G. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 3.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the G7 chord and what is its formula?

The G7 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Dominant Seventh). Its constituent pitches are G, B, D, F.

How do you prevent the G7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the G7 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 G7 chord diagram

G7 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheetView circle (C)→

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Other chords in the G family:

Chord G Chord Gm Chord G#m Chord Gmaj7 Chord Gm7 Chord Gsus4 Chord Gadd9 Chord G13