How to Play G7 Chord on Guitar
In today's lesson, we will go over 7 distinct ways to play the G7 guitar chord, also known as the G dominant chord. This guitar chord is built from the G major scale and is similar to the G major chord but has a little extra spice that makes it sound a bit more harsh & bluesy, which is perfect for any blues or jazz track.
Throughout this lesson, we'll discover variations, common positions, and finger positions, each with its own chord diagram. We'll also discuss tips and tricks to make sure the notes ring out and a little music theory for how dominant seventh chords are used to build tension.
G7 Guitar Chord in Open Position
The easiest way to start playing the G7 guitar chord is to play it in the open position. With the root note (the G note) on the low e string and three open strings, this voicing will give a nice deep and full sound. To play, place your:
Ring finger on the low e string (6th string), third fret
Middle finger on the fifth string, second fret
Index finger on the F note on the first string, first fret
Strum all the strings and make sure your thumb is splitting the difference with your 3rd and 1st fingers, low on the back of the guitar neck.
How To Play The G7 Guitar Chord Using B7 Shape
Though less known but you can also play the G7 guitar chord using the B7 shape.
Navigate to the 10th fret on the 5th string on your guitar and there, place your middle finger
Then place your ring finger on the 3rd string, 10th fret
Now, your index finger on the 4th string (d string), 9th fret
At last, your pinky finger on the 1st string, 10th fret
Strum from the 5th string down, and if you notice from the chord diagram, we can also play the B string open as the B note is part of this chord.
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How To Play The G7 Chord With a Barre? (Easy)
The easiest way to play the G7 chord as a barre chord is to place your:
1st finger on the D string (4th string), 3rd fret
2nd finger on the G string (3rd string), 4th fret
That's it! As you practice strumming this chord, you will learn to feel where your picking hand is to avoid strumming strings 5 & 6.
How To Play A G7 Guitar Chord With E7 Chord Shape
The next voicing we'll look at will build off the chord we just learned and use all six strings. Place your:
First finger on the 6th string, 3rd fret
Ring finger on the fifth string, 5th fret
Middle finger on the third string, 4th fret
As you squeeze in, press to the side of your finger so all strings ring out - especially the high e string!
How To Play A G7 Guitar Chord With A7 Chord Shape
The next barre chord we'll learn is the G7 chord using the A7 shape. For this, use the following fingering positioning:
Index finger on the 5th string, 10th fret
Ring finger on the 4th string, 12th fret
Pinky on the 2nd string, 12th fret
Avoid strumming the low e on this chord shape.
How To Play A G7 Guitar Chord With D7 Chord Shape
This next G7 chord is a bit tricky, but with practice, you'll have it down in no time! To play:
1st finger on the 5th string, 5th fret
3rd finger on the 3rd string, 7th fret
4th finger on the 1st string, 7th fret
2nd finger on the 2nd string, 6th fret
G7 Guitar Chord (Hard)
The last voicing for the G7 chord in this lesson has a pretty big stretch as you will be playing your guitar on the 1st fret and will have to span your fingers across 5 frets. However, if your technique is correct, rest assured, you will be fine.
First, play a G chord using only 3 notes: G, B, and D
Then place your pinky on the 5th string, 5th fret
Now your ring finger on 3rd string, 4th fret
At last, your middle finger on 2nd string, 3rd fret
This would be considered a G major triad, but to turn it into a G7 chord, we'll need to add your index finger on the 1st string 1st fret.
G7 Guitar Chord Tips
Tip #1
To learn the G7 chord, play the chord very slowly so that all your fingers attack the strings simultaneously. The chord change will always be slow if you place your fingers on the fretboard one at a time.
Tip #2
Make sure your thumb is behind your first and second fingers. You don't want your thumb on the outside of your index finger, as this will cause your hand to be unable to stretch or work properly. This goes for all guitar chords.
Tip #3
Even though I have written the G7 chord using the A7, B7, E7 or D7 "shape." When playing guitar, I'd highly recommend not to think or refer to them like this. When speaking a language, you don't translate as you speak; you just say the word. Similarly, thinking of "A7 shape" or "E7 shape" causes mental clutter.
It seems small, but the more clutter you have in your mind, the more negative impact it will have on your playing.
What Are The Notes Of A G7 Chord?
The G7 guitar chord uses four notes that are derived from the G major scale, which are the following: G A B C D E F#
When you number the notes on a scale, they are called SCALE DEGREES. So, to make a G7 guitar chord, we need the 1st, 3rd, and 5th "degrees" as well as the 7th, but the 7th must be lowered by a 1/2 step.
1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
G A B C D E F
To create a G7 guitar chord, we'll use notes G, B, D, and F.
When these 4 notes are being played harmonically (at the same time), you are playing a G7 guitar chord and must only have these notes. If you leave one note out or add in any other note, such as an A note, you are no longer playing a G7 chord!
That being said, as you can notice from the chord diagrams, you can have multiple G, B, D, and F notes, which can be in any order.
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