Need to learn how to play the A7 chord on guitar? Check out the chord chart and photo below to see how to play this dominant seventh chord with ease!
How to play the A7 guitar chord: Chart, Photo, and Description
Below are a couple of different ways you can play the A7 chord on guitar.
Option 1: Fingers 1 and 2
To play the A7 chord, place your left hand fingers on the following strings and frets:
- Index (Finger 1): Fret 2, String 4 (E)
- Middle (Finger 2): Fret 2, String 2 (C#)
- You can play the following open strings:
- String 5 (open A)
- String 3 (open G)
- String 1 (open high E)
- Avoid playing the string 6 (low E), which has an “X” in the box diagram above. Although the low E note is technically part of the A7 chord and won’t sound bad, more often you’ll want to play string 5 (A) as the lowest note. This is the root of the chord!
Option 2: Fingers 1 and 3
With this variation, you’re just going to swap finger 2 with finger 3.
To play this variation:
- Index (Finger 1): Fret 2, String 4 (E)
- Ring (Finger 3): Fret 2, String 2 (C#)
So why would we play this chord shape instead of the first option? Well, if you’re already playing this standard A major shape, then all you need to do is lift up finger 2 to make it an A7!
Another reason you might want to practice this shape is it’s proximity with D major–the chord it resolves to most often. If you’re transitioning to from A7 to D major, finger 3 can be a guide finger from fret 2 to fret 3, sliding seamlessly from C# to D.
What are the notes in an A7 chord?
The notes in an A7 chord are:
- A (Root)
- C# (Third)
- E (Fifth)
- G (seventh)
