F Dominant 7th Guitar Chord (F7)
F dominant 7th is a four-note chord built from F (the root), A (the major third), C (the perfect fifth), and E♭ (the minor seventh). It carries built-in momentum: the tritone between its third and seventh makes it the engine of V–I motion in tonal music, and the default chord color in the blues. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.
F7 chord shapes — standard tuning
How to play it
Lay your index finger flat across all six strings at fret 1 — that barre is the backbone of this F7 shape. Then add your middle finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 2 and your ring finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3. Strum all six strings.
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 | F |
| 3 | major third | A |
| 5 | perfect fifth | C |
| ♭7 | minor seventh | E♭ |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see F7 in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More F chords
Nearby dominant 7th chords
F7 FAQ
What notes are in F7?
F7 contains F, A, C, and E♭ — the root (F), the major third, the perfect fifth, and the minor seventh.
Is F7 a barre chord?
The most common F7 shape (1-3-1-2-1-1) is a barre chord — your index finger bars fret 1 across 6 strings. There is no standard open-position shape for this chord in standard tuning, but the diagrams above include every practical alternative up the neck.
What is the easiest way to play F7 on guitar?
Start with the barre · 1fr shape 1-3-1-2-1-1. Lay your index finger flat across all six strings at fret 1 — that barre is the backbone of this F7 shape. Then add your middle finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 2 and your ring finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3. Strum all six strings.