D7 is a D major chord with one extra note, C, and that note changes its whole personality. Plain D can sit still; D7 leans forward and wants to go to G. The open shape takes three fingers and is one of the first seventh chords most players learn. The trick is to hear it as a question that G answers, not just as a shape on a chart.
D7 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: D dominant seventh
- Symbol: D7
- Notes: D, F#, A, C
- Where it belongs: V7 in G major, V7 in G minor
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| D7, open | xx0212 | D A C F# | The one everybody learns: three fingers, top four strings, all four notes. |
| D7, C7 shape | x5453x | D F# C D without A | The open C7 moved up two frets. Root on the fifth string and no barre; it leaves out the fifth, A. |
| D7, fifth fret barre | x57575 | D A C F# A | The A7 barre shape. Complete, movable, and the go-to D7 for blues and rock rhythm. |
| D7, tenth fret barre | 10 12 10 11 10 10 | D A C F# A D | The E7 barre shape, root on the low E. A full, six string D7 higher up the neck. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
D7 on the neck: every D, F#, A, C
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of D7: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still D7.
How to play open D7, finger by finger
- Second finger on the G string, fret 2. That note is A, the fifth.
- First finger on the B string, fret 1. That note is C, the seventh: the one that makes the chord a D7.
- Third finger on the high E string, fret 2. That note is F#.
- Strum from the open D string down. Do not play the low E or the A string.
Look at the shape and you will see open D flipped over. In D, the note on the B string sits one fret further from the headstock than the other two; in D7 it sits one fret closer. Pick each string one at a time and check that the B string rings. If it is muted, the C is missing and you are left with a plain D sound.
Why D7 pulls toward G
In the key of G, D7 is the V7 chord. Two of its notes sit a half step away from G major: F# leans up to G, and C leans down to B. Play the change slowly and you can follow both voices on the top strings.
| Change | Shapes | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| D, D7, G | xx0232, xx0212, 320003 | D sits, D7 leans, G resolves. The B string moves D, C, then B. |
| Am, D7, G | x02210, xx0212, 320003 | The ii, V, I of G major. Keep the first finger close to fret 1. |
| D7, G7 | xx0212, 320001 | The V7 to I7 move of a blues in G, where even the home chord is a seventh. |
In a blues in D the job changes. D7 is the home chord there, played as a seventh from the first bar, because blues treats the dominant seventh as a resting place. The chord progressions page lays out the 12 bar pattern.
D7 up the neck
x5453x is the open C7 moved up two frets: third finger on the A string at fret 5, second finger on the D string at fret 4, fourth finger on the G string at fret 5, first finger on the B string at fret 3. No barre, root in the bass, and a slightly thinner sound because A is left out.
x57575 is the A7 barre shape: first finger across the fifth fret from the A string to the high E, third finger on the D string at fret 7, fourth finger on the B string at fret 7. The G string stays on the barre and gives you C.
10 12 10 11 10 10 is the E7 barre shape: barre at fret 10, third finger on the A string at fret 12, second finger on the G string at fret 11. The D string stays on the barre and gives you C.
One more you will see on charts: D7/F#, played 2x0212. It is the open D7 with F# added on the low E string (thumb or second
finger). Same four notes, but F# in the bass makes it a walking step
between chords, for example G, D7/F#, Em.
D7 and its neighbors
Frequently asked questions
How do you play a D7 chord on guitar?
What notes are in a D7 chord?
What is the difference between D7 and Dmaj7?
What chord does D7 go to?
Is D7 hard to play?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.