A Dominant 7th Guitar Chord (A7)
A dominant 7th is a four-note chord built from A (the root), C♯ (the major third), E (the perfect fifth), and G (the minor seventh). It sounds bluesy, restless, and a little raw. Jazz players treat it as a dominant that must resolve; blues players treat it as the whole neighborhood. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.
A7 chord shapes — 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.
Once that shape is comfortable, try the other 3 voicings above — same notes, different neck positions and textures.
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 — 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.