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 G string (3rd).
- Ring finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string (1st).
- Let the D string ring open.
- Do not play the low E and A strings: start the strum from the D 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) | not played | — | — | — |
| 4th (D) | open | — | D3 | root |
| 3rd (G) | fret 2 | middle | A3 | fifth |
| 2nd (B) | fret 1 | index | C4 | flat seventh |
| 1st (high E) | fret 2 | ring | F♯4 | 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 D7
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.
- x57575A barre at the 5th fret and two more fingers
- x5453xA shape at the 3rd fret · four fingers
- 10-9-7-7-7-8A barre at the 7th 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 2 lowest strings are left out, because their open notes are not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below them, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in D7
A dominant seventh chord is built from the root (1), 3, 5 and â™7 of its root’s major scale. From D that gives D – F♯ – A – C. 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: D major, Dm, Dmaj7, Dm7, Dsus2, Dsus4, Ddim, Daug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a D7 chord?
D dominant seventh is four notes: D – F♯ – A – C — the root, 3, 5 and â™7 of the D major scale. On guitar the shape xx0212 sounds D3, A3, C4 and F♯4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play D7 on guitar?
The usual shape is xx0212 — an open-position shape, with three fingers. It is already about as easy as this chord gets.
What is the difference between D7 and Dmaj7?
D7 has a flattened seventh (C), a whole step below the root; Dmaj7 has the natural seventh, a semitone below the root. D7 is restless and wants to move on; Dmaj7 is soft and at rest. They are not interchangeable.