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E7 Chord

E7 adds D to the E major triad. That flat seventh makes it useful before a chord whose root lies a fifth below E.

  • Notes: E-G sharp-B-D
  • Symbol: E7
  • V7 in A major
  • Flat seventh
Switch chordE7

How to play an E7 chord

Notes: E - G# - B - D · symbol E7

  • Root position

    E - G# - B - D
    C4C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 1st inversion

    G# - B - D - E
    C4C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left 5-4-2-1

  • 2nd inversion

    B - D - E - G#
    C4C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

  • 3rd inversion

    D - E - G# - B
    C4C5C6
    Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left 5-3-2-1

Where does E7 belong?

In A major, E7 acts as V7 and points toward the tonic.
Play the role cards to hear how its surrounding chords change the job it does; Diatonic Chords explains the basic numbered roles.

  • In A majorDominant
    V7

    It resolves to A: G sharp rises to A and D falls a half step.

    AIDIVE7V7AI
  • In A minorMinor-key dominant
    V7

    The same pull in A minor, where harmonic minor supplies the raised G sharp.

    AmiDmivE7V7Ami
  • In E bluesBlues home
    I7

    In a 12-bar blues the home chord is itself a 7 chord, and it does not need to resolve.

    E7I7A7IV7E7I7B7V7
  • In D majorSecondary dominant
    II7

    In D major it borrows a pull toward A, the V of that key.

    DIE7II7AVDI

Progressions to try

  • ADE7A

    E7 is V7 in A major; hear its seventh and third lean into the last chord.

  • AmDmE7Am

    The same dominant shape leads into a minor tonic in A minor.

  • E7A7E7B7

    In E blues, the tonic itself carries a seventh; the loop returns to E7 without losing that blues color.

  • DE7AD

    E7 briefly acts as a secondary dominant, pointing toward the chord after it rather than the main tonic.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, start with the open 020100 grip. Let the open strings ring and keep any strings marked x silent. The x79797 shape gives you another position when the neighboring chords sit elsewhere on the neck.

On ukulele, the open shape 1202 is the easiest place to start. The 4445 grip moves the chord to another register.

On piano, play E-G sharp-B-D. Move E up an octave to reach the first inversion, G sharp-B-D-E; the notes remain the same while the lowest voice changes.

What are the inversions?

E is the root, G sharp the major third, B the fifth and D the flat seventh, ten semitones above the root.

  • Root position: E-G sharp-B-D, with E lowest.
  • First inversion: G sharp-B-D-E, written E7/G# if G sharp is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Second inversion: B-D-E-G sharp, written E7/B if B is lowest in the whole arrangement.
  • Third inversion: D-E-G sharp-B, written E7/D if D is lowest in the whole arrangement.

A slash chord names the note in the bass, not merely the lowest note under one hand. Chord Inversions shows how to read that distinction.

How does E7 differ from Emaj7?

Keep E, G sharp and B; raise the seventh from D to D sharp. The result is Emaj7, whose major seventh changes the pull. Try that one-note change on piano, then use the comparer to hear it in the full chord. See Emaj7 for the other chord's full spelling and roles.

  • E7

    E - G# - B - D
    C4C5

    E dominant 7

  • Emaj7

    E - G# - B - D#
    C4C5

    E major 7

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