C seventh (C7) chord on guitar
- Notes
- CEGB♭
- Formula
- 135♭7
How to play C7 on guitar
-
Shape 1 · 1st position
-
Shape 2 · fret 3 · barre
-
Shape 3 · fret 8 · barre
-
Shape 4 · fret 5 · barre
-
Shape 5 · fret 10
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. x = do not play the string, o = open string. The coloured dot is the root (C). The same shapes work on acoustic, classical and electric guitar.
About the seventh chord
The dominant seventh chord carries a tension that "wants" to go somewhere: the third and the seventh form a tritone that resolves down a fifth (G7 → C). It is the V chord of any key, the sound of the blues (where every chord can take a seventh) and a staple of country and swing.
Notes and intervals of C7
C7 (C seventh) is built from 4 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- C · 1 · root
- E · 3 · major third
- G · 5 · perfect fifth
- B♭ · ♭7 · minor seventh
Other C chords
Seventh: other roots
Chords that go with C7
C7 is a dominant chord and usually resolves up a perfect fourth, to one of these chords:
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the C7 chord on guitar?
C7 (C seventh) has 5 fingerings on this page, from easiest to hardest. Each diagram shows the fingers, the open strings (o) and the strings you do not play (x), and you can hear every shape.
What notes are in C7?
The notes of C7 are C, E, G, B♭. The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.
What does C7 mean?
C7 is the chord symbol for C seventh. The dominant seventh chord carries a tension that "wants" to go somewhere: the third and the seventh form a tritone that resolves down a fifth (G7 → C). It is the V chord of any key, the sound of the blues (where every chord can take a seventh) and a staple of country and swing.
Can I play C7 on other instruments?
Yes. C7 also has a page on ukulele, on cavaquinho, with the fingerings for each instrument.