First, we need to go over some chord theory. For your basic major and minor chords, there are three important tones, the root, the third, and the fifth. The root is the foundation of the chord, the note that the chord is named after.
For example, in a C major chord, C is the root. E is the third, or third note in the C major scale, and G is the fifth, or fifth note in the C major scale.
The dominant seventh is based on the major chord, with the addition of—go figure—a seventh. But the trick to the dominant seventh is that its notes do not fall completely in the major scale. The root, third, and fifth all come from the major scale, but the seventh is flatted, or one fret lower than the major seventh.
That might seem confusing, so let’s get our fingers on the fretboard and work it out. Here is a C dominant seventh, or C7 chord:
E---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------1--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The fingering is the same as for C major, with the ring finger on the third fret A string, the middle finger on the second fret D string, and the index finger on the first fret B string. Now all you have to do is slip that pinky onto the third fret F string, and you are playing C7.
So let’s go over this again. For C7, the third fret A string is C, the root. The second fret D string is E, the major third. The third fret G string is B flat, the flatted seventh. The first fret B string is C, the root again, and the open E string is E, the major third again. An easy way to remember the construction of a dominant seventh chord is just to start with a major chord, then add the tone one full step, or two frets, below the root. In the case of C7, the note a full step below the root, C, is B flat. Now let’s try it with some other chords.
Here’s E7:
E---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------1--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------0---------------------------------------------------------
It can also be played like this:
E---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------3--------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------1--------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------2--------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------0---------------------------------------------------------
Just use your middle finger on the A string and your index finger on the G string. If you play the second version, just throw your pinky on the B string.
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