7th Chords: What's Hidden In The Number 7

7up Signage. Photo Credits

In this section, we're going to continue our exploration to the basic(open position) 7th (seventh) chords. Just like the simple chords presented in my previous posts, seventh chords are also easy to play. 7th chords are made up four different notes instead of three, and that's what gives the 7th chords its distinct sound. The different 7th chords (dominant 7th, major 7th, and minor 7th) can make the blues sound “bluesy” and jazz sound “jazzy.”

Let's start with the Dominant 7th chords.


Theoretically speaking, the term dominant refers to the 5th degree of a major scale. But, in simple terms, dominant 7ths merely refer to plain 7th chords. The dominant word is just added to distinguish them from other types of 7th chords(major 7th and minor 7th). When you see a chord name followed by the number 7, like E7, then it is referring to a dominant 7th chord.

Fingering dominant 7th chords

D7 Chord diagram and left-hand fingering

 

C7 Chord diagram and left-hand fingering

 

G7 Chord diagram and left-hand fingering

 

E7 Chord diagram and left-hand fingering (two-finger version)

 

E7 Chord diagram and left-hand fingering (four-finger version)

 

A7 Chord diagram and left-hand fingering

 

B7 Chord diagram and left-hand fingering

 

As you can notice, you only need to add your pinky finger on the 3rd sting at the third fret to form the C7 chord. Also, be mindful of the X symbol found on certain strings. Don't play those strings as you play the chords.

The E7 chord has two versions. If you're just starting out, it's advisable to play the two-finger version because it's easier to fret. You can move on to using the four-finger version once you become comfortable at fretting. Most musicians would agree that the four-finger version of E7 has a better arrangement of notes than the two-finger version. Try playing the two versions, switching back and forth, and find out if what they said was true.

Practice the dominant 7th chords by strumming each chord four times. This would accustom your left hand to the feel of the chords and would allow you to switch between chords faster.