C7 chord on guitar

C7 is C, E, G and B♭. The usual shape is x-3-2-3-1-0. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

How to play C7 on guitar

Shape 1, x-3-2-3-1-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Put your index finger on the B string at the 1st fret, which is C.
2. Put your middle finger on the D string at the 2nd fret, which is E.
3. Put your ring finger on the A string at the 3rd fret, which is C.
4. Put your pinky finger on the G string at the 3rd fret, which is B♭.
5. The open high E string adds E; don't touch it.
6. Skip the low E string and begin the strum from the A string.

• Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
• The pinky takes a note here. Keep it curved and close to the fretboard between chords so it has less distance to travel.

Other ways to play C7

• 8-10-8-9-8-8: barre shape at the 8th fret, medium. The root is on the low E string, so you can slide this shape to play any dominant seventh chord.
• x-3-5-3-5-3: barre shape at the 3rd fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the A7 shape moved up the neck.
• x-15-14-15-13-x: movable shape at the 13th fret, medium. Fewer strings, so it sounds lighter and is quicker to change to.

C7 the capo way

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 1st fret and play the open B7 shape (x-2-1-2-0-2), capo on the 3rd fret and play the open A7 shape (x-0-2-0-2-0) or capo on the 5th fret and play the open G7 shape (3-2-0-0-0-1). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

Moving between C7 and its neighbours

These are the changes you'll meet most often with C7, using the first shape of each chord.

• F (the V7 pulls home a fifth below): C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0) to F (1-3-3-2-1-1): your ring finger stays put, the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 1st fret, the middle finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, the pinky finger slides across to the D string at the same fret. Listen for C, which stays put while the rest moves. F on guitar
• Fmaj7 (I in F major): C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0) to Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0): your index finger stays put, the middle finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, the ring finger slides across to the D string at the same fret. C and E carry over from one chord to the other. Fmaj7 on guitar
• Dm7 (vi in F major): C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0) to Dm7 (x-x-0-2-1-1): your index finger stays put, the middle finger goes to the high E string, 1st fret, move the ring finger to the G string, 2nd fret. The two chords share C, which is why the change sounds smooth. Dm7 on guitar

C7 is a dominant seventh chord: a major triad with a flattened seventh on top. Use C7 where you want motion: it leans toward the chord a fifth below and turns up on almost every blues. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Practice C7 in two minutes

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: C, E, B♭, C, E. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Finish by moving between x-3-2-3-1-0 and 8-10-8-9-8-8 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Keys and progressions with C7

• V7 in F major
• V7 in F minor
• VII7 in D minor

In C major, I7–IV7–V7 (12 bars) on guitar is C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0), F7 (1-3-1-2-1-1) and G7 (3-2-0-0-0-1). About the 12-bar blues.

In F major, ii–V–I on guitar is Gm7 (3-5-3-3-3-3), C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0) and Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0). About the jazz cadence.

C7 on piano and ukulele

C7 on piano and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Close to C7

• C
• C9
• Cmaj7
• Cm7
• Csus4

Other dominant seventh chords

• C♯7
• D7
• E♭7
• E7
• F7
• F♯7
• G7
• A♭7
• A7
• B♭7
• B7

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside C7. Updated September 2026. Print this chord