Skip to content
Back

The G7 chord on guitar, and how it pulls to C

G7 is an open G chord with one note changed: the high G becomes F. That F is enough to turn a calm chord into a question. G7 is the dominant seventh of C, and on its own it always sounds as if it is waiting for something. Learn the shape, then learn it the way you will play it, going to C.

G7 chord: notes and shapes at a glance

  • Name: G dominant seventh
  • Symbol: G7
  • Notes: G, B, D, F
  • Where it belongs: V7 in C major, V7 in C 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
G7, four strings xx0001 D G B F One finger, top four strings. Complete, with D as the lowest note: the quickest G7 there is.
G7, open 320001 G B D G B F The standard open G7: an open G with F on the high E string instead of G.
G7, bluesy 323001 G B F G B F without D F doubled on the D string, for a grittier G7. The fifth, D, drops out: that is normal.
G7, barre 353433 G D F B D G The E7 shape barred at fret 3. All six strings fretted, easy to mute for rhythm parts.
G7, tenth fret x 10 12 10 12 10 G D F B D The A7 shape at fret 10: first finger barred across five strings, third and fourth fingers at fret 12 on the D and B strings.
G7, four strings x x 0 0 0 1 · · · · · 1 fingers
G7, open 3 2 0 0 0 1 3 2 · · · 1 fingers
G7, bluesy 3 2 3 0 0 1 3 2 4 · · 1 fingers
G7, barre 3 5 3 4 3 3 1 3 1 2 1 1 fingers
G7, tenth fret x 10 12 10 12 10

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.

G7 on the neck: every G, B, D, F

Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of G7: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still G7.

Fretboard notes
Swipe the fretboard sideways to see every fret.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 - E
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
2 - B
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
3 - G
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
4 - D
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
5 - A
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
6 - E
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E

How to play the open G7

  1. Third finger on the low E string, fret 3: G, the root.
  2. Second finger on the A string, fret 2: B, the third.
  3. First finger on the high E string, fret 1: F, the seventh.
  4. D, G and B strings open. Strum all six and check each string one by one.
The first finger on the high E is the one that fails. It sits right at the edge of the neck, so arch it and press with the very tip, close to the fret wire. If the F does not ring, you are hearing a G with a hole in it, not a G7.

G7 to C: the resolution

Play 320001, then x32010. Two things happen at once: B, on the A string, moves up a half step to C; F, on the high E, moves down a half step to E. Those two short moves are the whole sound of a dominant chord resolving, and they are why G7 is the V7 of C.

Progression Shapes What to watch
G7, C 320001, x32010 Each finger moves one string: third from low E to A, second from A to D, first from high E to B
G, G7, C 320003, 320001, x32010 Only the top note changes first: G, F, then E
Dm, G7, C xx0231, 320001, x32010 The ii, V7, I of C major, the most used cadence there is
G7, C7, D7 320001, x32310, xx0212 The three chords of a blues in G, all dominant

In a blues in G, G7 is no longer a tension that must resolve: it is home, and it stays there for bars. The same chord, a different job. Compare with C7 and D7, the other two chords of that blues.

When to use the other shapes

  • xx0001 when the change is too fast, or as a quiet G7 between two bigger chords. D in the bass makes it lighter.
  • 323001 in a blues or a country tune: the F doubled on the D string gives the chord more bite. There is no D in it, and that is fine: the fifth is the note guitarists drop first.
  • 353433 for electric rhythm or when the song is already in barre position. Release the pressure after each strum to get a short, funky chop.
  • 3x34xx, the shell: G on the low E, F on the D string at fret 3, B on the G string at fret 4. Only root, seventh and third. It is the voicing jazz rhythm guitarists use to keep the sound out of the bassist's way.

G7, Gmaj7 and G9

Chord Notes Character
G G, B, D Stable, plain major
G7 G, B, D, F Tense, wants to go to C
Gmaj7 G, B, D, F# Soft, dreamy, at rest
G9 G, B, D, F, A G7 with more color, same pull

Frequently asked questions

How do you play a G7 chord on guitar?
The open version is 320001: third finger on the low E at fret 3, second finger on the A string at fret 2, first finger on the high E at fret 1. Strum all six strings. Make sure the high F rings clearly: it is the note that makes the chord a G7.
What is the easiest G7 chord?
xx0001: one finger on the high E at fret 1, and strum only the top four strings. You get D, G, B and F, all four notes of G7, with D in the bass. When you want the full sound, add the two bass notes of 320001.
What notes are in G7?
G, B, D and F: root, major third, fifth and minor seventh. The F is what separates G7 from G major, and from Gmaj7, which has F# instead.
Why does G7 lead to C?
Because G7 is the V7 chord of C. Two of its notes sit a half step from notes of C: B moves up to C, and F moves down to E. Your ear expects that resolution, which is why G7 sounds unfinished on its own.
What is the difference between G7 and Gmaj7?
G7 has F, a whole step below G; Gmaj7 has F#, a half step below G. G7 is tense and wants to move; Gmaj7 is soft and can stay where it is. Swap them and the song changes character.
Yohann Abbou, guitar teacher and founder of Guitar Social Club

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.