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C Dominant 7th Guitar Chord (C7)

C dominant 7th is a four-note chord built from C (the root), E (the major third), G (the perfect fifth), and B♭ (the minor seventh). It adds a minor seventh on top of a major triad, creating the friction that defines blues and early rock and roll. It always sounds like it wants to go somewhere — usually down a fifth. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.

C7 chord shapes — standard tuning

○ open string × muted / not played 1–4 suggested finger 3fr shape starts at fret 3 R · 3 · 5 · ♭7 chord tone each string sounds
C7 guitar chord diagram, Open position, frets x-3-2-3-1-0×3R234♭71R3
Open position
x-3-2-3-1-0
C7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 3fr, frets x-3-5-3-5-33fr×1R25♭7335
Barre · 3fr
x-3-5-3-5-3
C7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 5fr, frets 8-7-5-5-5-65fr4R3315R32♭7
Barre · 5fr
8-7-5-5-5-6
C7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 8fr, frets 8-10-8-9-8-88fr1R35♭7235R
Barre · 8fr
8-10-8-9-8-8

How to play it

Place your index finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 1, your middle finger on the D (4th) string at fret 2, your ring finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 3. Let the high E (1st) string 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

SymbolIntervalNote
RrootC
3major thirdE
5perfect fifthG
♭7minor seventhB♭

Keep exploring

Other tunings

Open the interactive chord charts to see C7 in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.

More C chords

Nearby dominant 7th chords

C7 FAQ

What notes are in C7?
C7 contains C, E, G, and B♭ — the root (C), the major third, the perfect fifth, and the minor seventh.

Is C7 a barre chord?
Not necessarily. The easiest C7 shape (x-3-2-3-1-0) needs no barre — it uses 4 fingers plus open strings. Barre versions exist too, starting at fret 3, and are handy when you want to move the same grip to other keys.

What is the easiest way to play C7 on guitar?
Start with the open position shape x-3-2-3-1-0. Place your index finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 1, your middle finger on the D (4th) string at fret 2, your ring finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 3. Let the high E (1st) string ring open. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum — start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.