A Dominant 7th Guitar Chord (A7)
A7 leans hard toward D. It's the tension chord of the blues and the V7 of every song in D. The open shape is x02020, two fingers, big payoff.
A7 leans pepperoni.
A7 chord shapes in standard tuning
How to play it
Place your index finger on the D (4th) string at fret 2 and your middle finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 2. Let the A (5th), G (3rd), and high E (1st) strings ring open. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum. Start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.
Notes in this chord
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | A |
| 3 | major third | C♯ |
| 5 | perfect fifth | E |
| ♭7 | minor seventh | G |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see A7 in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More A chords
Nearby dominant 7th chords
A7 FAQ
What notes are in A7?
A7 contains A, C♯, E, and G. That's the root (A), the major third, the perfect fifth, and the minor seventh.
Is A7 a barre chord?
Not necessarily. The easiest A7 shape (x-0-2-0-2-0) needs no barre. It uses 2 fingers plus open strings. Barre versions exist too, starting at fret 5, and are handy when you want to move the same grip to other keys.
What is the easiest way to play A7 on guitar?
Start with the open position shape x-0-2-0-2-0. Place your index finger on the D (4th) string at fret 2 and your middle finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 2. Let the A (5th), G (3rd), and high E (1st) strings ring open. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum. Start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.