F7 chord on guitar

F7 is F, A, C and E♭. The usual shape is 1-3-1-2-1-1, a barre at the 1st fret. Hit Play and watch each string light as it sounds.

1-3-1-2-1-1 · barre · hard

Notes: F · A · C · E♭
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7
First shape: 1-3-1-2-1-1

How to play F7 on guitar

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

Lay your index finger flat across all the strings at the 1st fret.
Middle finger: G string, 2nd fret (A).
Ring finger: A string, 3rd fret (C).

Near the nut the strings sit highest, so this barre takes the most pressure. Check each string one at a time and move the finger a hair closer to the fret wire for any that buzz.

Other ways to play F7

x-x-3-5-4-5: movable shape at the 3rd fret, medium. Fewer strings, so it sounds lighter and is quicker to change to.
13-15-13-14-13-13: barre shape at the 13th fret, medium. Root on the 6th string: move it up or down and it names a different dominant seventh chord.
x-8-10-8-10-8: barre shape at the 8th fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the A7 shape moved up the neck.

Playing F7 with a capo

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 1st fret and play the open E7 shape (0-2-0-1-0-0), capo on the 3rd fret and play the open D7 shape (x-x-0-2-1-2), capo on the 5th fret and play the open C7 shape (x-3-2-3-1-0) or capo on the 6th fret and play the open B7 shape (x-2-1-2-0-2). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

Changing from F7 to the chords around it

These are the changes you'll meet most often with F7, using the first shape of each chord.

B♭ (the V7 pulls home a fifth below): F7 (1-3-1-2-1-1) to B♭ (x-1-3-3-3-1): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 1st fret, move the middle finger to the D string, 3rd fret, your ring finger lands on the G string, 3rd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 3rd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Shared note: F. B♭ on guitar
B♭maj7 (I in B♭ major): F7 (1-3-1-2-1-1) to B♭maj7 (x-1-3-2-3-1): your middle finger stays put, the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 1st fret, the ring finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 3rd fret. Shared notes: F and A. B♭maj7 on guitar
Gm7 (vi in B♭ major): F7 (1-3-1-2-1-1) to Gm7 (3-5-3-3-3-3): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 3rd fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 5th fret. The two chords share F, which is why the change sounds smooth. Gm7 on guitar

F7 is a dominant seventh chord: a major triad with a flattened seventh on top. Use F7 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 F7 in two minutes

Before strumming, play 1-3-1-2-1-1 note by note: F then C then E♭ then A then C then F. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Next, alternate 1-3-1-2-1-1 and x-x-3-5-4-5, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

Where F7 shows up

In F major, I7–IV7–V7 (12 bars) on guitar is F7 (1-3-1-2-1-1), B♭7 (x-1-3-1-3-1) and C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0). About the 12-bar blues.

In B♭ major, ii–V–I on guitar is Cm7 (x-3-5-3-4-3), F7 (1-3-1-2-1-1) and B♭maj7 (x-1-3-2-3-1). About the jazz cadence.

F7 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try F7 on ukulele or F7 on piano, or compare them on the F7 chord page.

Related F chords on guitar

Other dominant seventh chords

F7 on guitar: questions

What notes are in F7 on guitar?

F, A, C and E♭. In the 1-3-1-2-1-1 shape the strings play F (low E string), C (A string), E♭ (D string), A (G string), C (B string) and F (high E string), so F and C are doubled.

What's the easiest way to play F7 on guitar?

In standard tuning F7 can't use open strings. Begin with x-x-3-5-4-5. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and a capo can make it easier in some songs.

Is F7 a barre chord on guitar?

In its standard form, yes. 1-3-1-2-1-1 has your index finger across the 1st fret. x-x-3-5-4-5 avoids the barre.

Which string does F7 start on?

In the 1-3-1-2-1-1 shape the lowest string you play is the low E string at the 1st fret, which is F, the root.

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes F, A, C and E♭ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.