How To Play an E7 Guitar Chord | Guitarkind (2024)

The E7 chord—also known as “E Dominant 7″—is an E Dominant 7th chord that is an important guitar chord for you to know. Below are two chord shapes for E7 on guitar. The first fingering is an open chord in the first position. The second is a barre chord at the 7th fret. Continue reading for an explanation and example of where you can use the E7 chord shapes below, and why E7 chords are essential for you to know.

E7 Guitar Chords

What Is an E7 Chord?

An E7 is what is referred to as a “Dominant Seventh” chord. Without getting too far into the weeds of music theory, a Dominant Seventh chord is a 4 note 7th chord built from a Major scale, where the 7th note of the scale is flattened 1 half step (1 fret in guitar terms). Example #1 (left, above) is fingered at the 1st and 2nd fret, and utilizes open strings. The root of the chord is E, which is the open 6th string.

Example #2 is an E7 barre chord that is fingered on the 7th fret. This time, the root note of E is found on the 5th string, 7th fret. However, consider also that the open 6th string is also an E note, an octave lower. Incorporating this string into the chord will give it extra low-end presence. As always, let your ear guide you.

Dominant Seventh Chord Formula

A scale degree is the position that a note appears in a scale. Based on the Major Scale, a Dominant Seventh Chord contains the following scale degrees:

1st (root note)

3rd (Major 3rd)

5th (Perfect 5th)

b7th (Flat 7th)

E7 Chord Notes

As we saw above, the scale degrees of an E7 chord are 1, 3 ,5, b7. These equate to the following notes on the guitar:

1st: E

3rd: G#

5th: B

b7th: D

These intervals will be the same for any dominant chord, but the notes will be different.For example, the notes of an A7 chord will be the same scale degrees as an E7, but the actual notes will be different.

What is the sound of an E7 Chord?

You can think of a Dominant Seventh chord as a Major Chord with an added flat 7th note. Dominant chords sound similar to a Major chord, with added tension from the the b7th note. In an E7 chord, this note is a D.

The flat 7th of a Dominant chord creates what is referred to as a “Tritone” interval between the b7th (C) and the Major 3rd (F#). Tritones have a very recognizable sound, and the combination of the Major 3rd and the b7th is what gives Dominant chords their characteristic sound.

The sound of dominant chords is often characterized as “restless”. Because of this, your ear seeks to have the harmony move to another chord for resolution. This is an example of tension and release.

Difference Between Dominant 7th Chord and Major 7th Chord

Do not confuse a Dominant Seventh chord with a Major Seventh Chord, as they sound very different. A Major Seventh chord is a Major chord with a “natural” 7th, instead of a flat 7th. In an E7 chord, this note is a D. In a EMaj7 chord, this note would be D#.

How is an E7 Chord Used In Music?

E7 is an example of a Dominant Seventh chord, and quite simply, they are used everywhere: Rock, Blues, Jazz—you name it. The best way to understand how a chord sounds is to get it under your fingers so you can play it, and the best way to do that is to place it in a musical context. One of the most popular uses for dominant chords is in Blues progressions, and the most fundamental blues progression is what is known as the “Twelve Bar Blues.” See our article on the A7 Chord for more on how to use E7 in a 12-Bar Blues.

Summary

Keep in mind that we’ve only shown you two of the many ways to play an E7 chord on guitar. The key of E Major is a very good key signature for the guitar, because of the ability to incorporate both open E strings—the 6th and 1st strings. When you feel confident with the two 7th chord shapes we’ve discussed, move on and explore other E7 guitar chord variations. Being able to voice a chord in multiple ways will add color and interest to your rhythm playing.

Happy Playing!