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Playful

E Dominant 7th

E · G# · B · D

E7o123

Shape 1 · difficulty 4/10

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About the E7 chord

E7 is a E dominant 7th chord built from E, G#, B, D. Bluesy tension that wants to resolve. The engine of blues, jazz, and early rock.

Root

E

Quality

Dominant 7th

Chord tones

E G# B D

Shapes

1 · intermediate

Notes & intervals

Every dominant 7th chord stacks the same intervals on its root. In E7, that gives you:

E

root1

Home base. The root names the chord, and every other note is measured from it.

G#

major third3

The major third is the smile in the chord: this note makes it sound happy.

B

perfect fifth5

The fifth adds weight and strength behind the root.

D

minor seventh♭7

The minor seventh adds a bluesy itch that wants to resolve.

Used in genres

Dominant 7th chords show up all over the progression catalog, most of all in these styles:

Character & mood

PlayfulBluesy tension that wants to resolve. The engine of blues, jazz, and early rock.

Find another chord

Popular chords

Frequently asked questions

How do you play E7 on ukulele?

E7 is a solid intermediate shape once open chords feel steady. The first shape is the easiest voicing: 3 fretted strings and 1 open string. Put your index finger on the 1st fret of the G string. Put your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the C string. Put your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the A string. Leave the E string open. Strum all four strings and check each one rings cleanly. Watch on YouTube

What notes are in a E7 chord?

E7 is E, G#, B, D. Those notes make a dominant 7th chord. Play them in any order and you still get E7.

What makes E7 a dominant 7th chord?

Bluesy tension that wants to resolve. The engine of blues, jazz, and early rock. Chord quality is the interval pattern above the root. That pattern is what you hear as dominant 7th.

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