Read left to right, 6th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string, x is a string you do not play.
- Index finger on the 1st fret of the B string (2nd).
- Middle finger on the 2nd fret of the D string (4th).
- Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the A string (5th).
- Little finger on the 3rd fret of the G string (3rd).
- Let the high E string ring open.
- Do not play the low E string: start the strum from the A string.
String by string
What each string does in this shape, and which note of the chord it sounds. This is what to listen for when you pluck them one at a time.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | In the chord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (low E) | not played | — | — | — |
| 5th (A) | fret 3 | ring | C3 | root |
| 4th (D) | fret 2 | middle | E3 | third |
| 3rd (G) | fret 3 | little | B♭3 | flat seventh |
| 2nd (B) | fret 1 | index | C4 | root |
| 1st (high E) | open | — | E4 | third |
One string at a time: a chord strummed into a microphone is several notes at once, and a single string is something the page can hear exactly. A string in tune but on the wrong fret, or deadened by the finger beside it, shows up here and not on a tuner. Tap a string to check it again.
3 other ways to play C7
The same 4 notes, somewhere else on the neck. A different shape puts a different note on top, so each one colours the chord slightly differently — and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- x35353A barre at the 3rd fret and two more fingers
- 8-10-8-9-8-8A barre at the 8th fret and two more fingers
- 875556A barre at the 5th fret and three more fingers
Holding it cleanly
One string rings open next to fretted ones. Arch the fingers so they come down on their tips — a finger lying flat will deaden the open string beside it, and the chord loses a note without sounding obviously wrong.
The lowest string is left out, because its open note is not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below it, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in C7
A dominant seventh chord is built from the root (1), 3, 5 and ♭7 of its root’s major scale. From C that gives C – E – G – B♭. A major chord with a flattened seventh on top. It wants to move — usually to the chord a fourth above it.
The same root, other chords: C major, Cm, Cmaj7, Cm7, Csus2, Csus4, Cdim, Caug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a C7 chord?
C dominant seventh is four notes: C – E – G – B♭ — the root, 3, 5 and ♭7 of the C major scale. On guitar the shape x32310 sounds C3, E3, B♭3, C4 and E4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play C7 on guitar?
The usual shape is x32310 — an open-position shape, with four fingers. It is already about as easy as this chord gets.
What is the difference between C7 and Cmaj7?
C7 has a flattened seventh (B♭), a whole step below the root; Cmaj7 has the natural seventh, a semitone below the root. C7 is restless and wants to move on; Cmaj7 is soft and at rest. They are not interchangeable.