C Dominant 7th
Open PositionThe classic open C7 — add the pinky to the G string at fret 3 on top of the open C shape. The high e string rings open. The low E string is not strummed.
C Dominant 7th
3rd FretA-shape barre chord rooted on C at the 3rd fret. Barre fret 3 with the index; ring on D fret 5, pinky on B fret 5. Mute the low E. A fully moveable dominant 7th voicing.
C Dominant 7th
8th FretE-shape barre chord with the root on the low E string at fret 8. Full six-string voicing — index barres all strings at fret 8, ring on A fret 10, middle on G fret 9.
C Dominant 7th
6th FretDrop 2 voicing on the top four strings — root (C) on D fret 10, 3rd (E) on G fret 9, 5th (G) on B fret 8, ♭7th (B♭) on high e fret 6. A classic jazz comping shape.
C Dominant 7th
1st PositionCompact shell voicing — 3rd (E) on D fret 2, ♭7th (B♭) on G fret 3, root (C) on B fret 1, 3rd (E) on open high e. A crisp, no-barre jazz C7 capturing the essential tritone tension.
Tips for Playing the C7 Chord
Build from C major
If you know the open C chord, just add your pinky to the G string at fret 3. That B♭ is the minor 7th that turns C major into C7.
Keep the high e open
The open high e string is the major 3rd (E) of C7. Let it ring freely — it adds brightness and reinforces the chord's tension against the B♭.
Avoid the low E
In the open shape, the low E string is not played. Aim your strum to start cleanly from the A string.
Use it in the blues
C7 is the I chord in a 12-bar blues in C. The sequence C7 → F7 → G7 is one of the most-played chord progressions in all of music.
Move the barre shapes
The A-shape barre at fret 3 and the E-shape barre at fret 8 are fully moveable — slide them to any fret to play any dominant 7th chord.
Dominant in jazz
In jazz, C7 is the V chord in F major (C7 → Fmaj7). Try comping with the Drop 2 shape on the top four strings for a cleaner, more modern sound.
About the C7 Chord on Guitar
The C7 chord is built from four notes: C (the root), E (the major 3rd), G (the perfect 5th), and B♭ (the minor 7th). It is the C major triad with an added flat 7th — the defining sound of the dominant 7th chord. The tritone tension between E and B♭ pulls strongly toward F major, making C7 one of the most harmonically active chords in Western music. C7 appears constantly in blues (as the I chord in a 12-bar blues in C), jazz (as the V chord resolving to Fmaj7), gospel, R&B, and rock. This page covers five voicings, from the familiar open C7 to barre and jazz Drop 2 shapes. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 C7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Open position, A-shape barre, E-shape barre, Drop 2, and shell voicing
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the C Dominant 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every dominant 7th chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.