GuitarChords.net

C dominant 7 guitar chord

When a song writes C7, it means C dominant 7. That is C major plus one extra note, B flat. The notes are C, E, G, and B flat.

Both pictures on this page are that chord. Start with the top one.

x means muted. 0 means open.

C dominant 7

Short code x35353, thickest string first.

Barre fret 3 with the index finger on the A, G and high E strings.

  1. Low E string: muted, do not play.
  2. A string: fret 3, index finger, note C, 1st.
  3. D string: fret 5, ring finger, note G, 5th.
  4. G string: fret 3, index finger, note B flat, 7th.
  5. B string: fret 5, pinky finger, note E, 3rd.
  6. High E string: fret 3, index finger, note G, 5th.

C dominant 7 uses the notes C, G, B flat and E.

More C guitar chords.

Also C major, C minor, C major 7, C minor 7, C suspended 2, C suspended 4, C power chord, C diminished, C augmented.

C dominant 7, another shape

Short code 8a8988, thickest string first.

Barre fret 8 with the index finger on the low E, D, B and high E strings.

  1. Low E string: fret 8, index finger, note C, 1st.
  2. A string: fret 10, ring finger, note G, 5th.
  3. D string: fret 8, index finger, note B flat, 7th.
  4. G string: fret 9, middle finger, note E, 3rd.
  5. B string: fret 8, index finger, note G, 5th.
  6. High E string: fret 8, index finger, note C, 1st.

C dominant 7 uses the notes C, G, B flat and E.

What extra note makes this C dominant 7?

Both pictures are C, E, G, and B flat. That is C dominant 7. Both use a barre. The first picture mutes the thick string and bars fret 3. The second picture bars fret 8 on all six strings. Same four notes. The second shape is higher on the neck.

If the C dominant 7 in a song sounds higher than the first picture, try the second picture lower on this page.

B flat is the extra note. It is not in C major. On the first picture that B flat is on the G string, fret 3, index finger. Play C major after this and that B flat is gone. The extra note is why this chord wants to go to F major.

Progressions that start on C dominant 7

Play each line in order.

C dominant 7, F dominant 7, G dominant 7, C dominant 7

This is the blues one. C dominant 7 (C7) to F dominant 7 (F7) to G dominant 7 (G7) and home, and it never quite sits still. 1950s Chicago, a back porch after dinner, early rock and roll on the radio. Hungry, not sad. That is why you play it again.

C dominant 7, F dominant 7, C dominant 7, G dominant 7

C7 goes to F7 and comes back. Then G7 makes you wait. Slow blues. A kitchen at night, the radio low. The feeling is the wait.

C dominant 7, B flat dominant 7, F dominant 7, C dominant 7

B flat dominant 7 (Bb7) walks off, F7 walks you back, C7 is home and still buzzing. 1970s rock, car radio, windows down. Bar-band loud. Not a hymn.