The B7 chord is a well-known dominant seventh, composed of notes B, D#, F# and A. Its distinctive sound can be heard in various genres such as blues and rock music.
This chord can be played in many forms, with barre, open and movable variations available. Here are some of the most common voicings of this chord and how to play them on a guitar.
Open Position
The B7 chord may not be one of the more well-known guitar chords, but this bright and brash sounding chord has been used in numerous songs across genres from country music to blues-infused classic rock. It’s an enjoyable chord to play, and can be played in various positions on the neck for added fun!
The B7 chord is composed of four notes: B, D#, F# and A. It is a dominant 7th chord, featuring the root, major third, perfect fifth and flat seventh intervals found in standard major chord formulae. But this chord also has an unique feature: the seventh note from the B major scale!
To create a B7 chord, add the flattened 7th note from the B major scale to your standard major chord formula. This gives the chord its distinctive sound.
Another way to create a B7 chord is by taking the A# note of the B major scale and flattening it by half-step. In this case, your chord will be B major (B, D#, F#, A).
You can play a version of this chord that uses only two notes from the B minor scale. This is an effective way to practice for the B7 chord, though you should not rely on it as your first attempt.
Instead, you can use it as a starting point for other guitar chord shapes and licks. Combining the B7 with mixolydian scale or lydian dominant scale will enable more complex patterns to emerge.
If you’re just learning the B7 chord, ChordBank app offers real-time feedback as you practice each finger with one finger at a time. It’s an invaluable tool for mastering this chord in any position.
Playing a B7 is typically accomplished by first barring the A, D and G strings with your first finger. Then you pick up F# with your third finger and D# with your pinky finger.
For a more soulful sound, play the B7 chord with its root note on the D string, major third on the G string, perfect fifth on B string and minor seventh on high E string. This fingering is typically used in funk and R&B music.
Barre Variation
Barre chords are a versatile guitar technique for playing familiar open chord shapes in multiple half-steps higher. They can be employed in many musical genres such as pop music, jazz music and classical music.
Guitar strings produce a distinct tone quality when played, providing an alternative option to open string notes. As such, they’re often featured in popular music genres such as pop, rock and blues.
Another advantage of barre chords is their flexibility; players can move the entire shape up and down the neck, enabling them to use the chord shape for other open or closed chords as well.
In addition to changing the shape of a chord, the barre method also imparts basic chord formation principles. It helps beginners learn basic chord shapes as well as finger placement for open and closed strings.
As with any new skill, the best way to master a barre chord is through repetition and changing positions. Doing this will strengthen your fingers and increase dexterity.
The b7 chord is an essential one in guitar playing, and can be found in multiple positions on the fretboard. It also serves as a starting point for other chord types such as major and minor 7ths.
Thus, it is essential to comprehend how seven chords differ. Doing so will enable you to play them more adeptly on the guitar and avoid common errors such as misreading notes.
Begin learning the b7 chord by practicing simple variations. These variations will build up your finger strength and prepare you for the full open version of this chord.
For this variation of the b7 chord, place your index finger on the second fret of the A string and barre all other strings except for low E. This position can be quite challenging for beginners as they must press down multiple strings with only one finger; however, with practice they will become accustomed to this positioning and be able to play it without any issues.
Fingerings
The B7 chord is one of the most essential to learn on the guitar. It often appears as a key chord in rock and blues songs, and you can use it to produce various sounds and timbres when playing.
This chord consists of the notes B-D#-F# with an added A natural on top. It’s also known as the B dominant seventh chord or simply B Dom.
This chord is straightforward to play and can be learned by anyone with some guitar experience. It may initially prove challenging, but with practice comes greater ease.
Start by practicing the open version of this chord to become familiar with it. Strumming it with either your pick or fingers (but only on the thinnest five strings) will give you a better feel for how this chord sounds and increase your confidence when playing it.
Once you feel confident with the open version of this chord, try breaking it down into an arpeggio and listen for where the notes fall on the string. Doing so will allow you to hear how each note sounds when played individually.
You can experiment with different inversions of the chord if desired. The root position requires your thumb and index finger to play the bass note, while second and third inversions require middle and ring fingers for playing bass notes.
These inversions of the B7 chord are less complex than some other dominant seventh chords, but they still require practice and will stretch your fingers a bit. The best way to master these inversions is by learning some songs that utilize them.
The B7 chord can be heard in iconic hits like ‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction’ by The Rolling Stones, ‘Man Who Sold the World’ by Nirvana, and ‘Starman’ by David Bowie. These iconic tunes use this chord to create a bluesy rock sound that adds soulful depth to any performance. It’s an excellent opportunity to expand your repertoire while honing your guitar skills at the same time!
Inversions
The B7 chord is an ideal way to give any song some extra edge and sparkle. It’s used in various genres such as pop, rock and soul music alike; making it a popular choice for beginners due to its ease of learning and vast array of options available.
A b7 chord consists of the notes B, D#, F# and A. As with other dominant seven chords, there are various ways to play this chord on guitar: open, barre and rootless voicings. Feel free to experiment with all three positions to discover how they differ from one another.
There are several inversions of a B7 chord. The standard root position requires you to place your thumb on B, use two fingers on D#, and finally finish with F# – this may feel a bit stretched but is not quite an octave so it’s an appropriate starting point when learning this chord.
You can learn to play a B7 chord in various ways, such as drop 2 and drop 4. These two inversions are common and may come in handy if you’re searching for jazzy chord arrangements to practice or play with your band.
These inversions are constructed using the formula 1 b3 5 b7, wherein the fifth (F#) note in this chord is replaced by the minor seventh (A). Conversely, in the second inversion, which also uses F# as its replacement note, D# takes its place.
The fourth inversion is based on the formula 3 b3 b7. This is a more advanced inversion and can be employed when playing chord progressions with multiple harmonies in succession.
Like all major and minor chords, the B7 is no straightforward instrument. It possesses a variety of qualities which make it unique, captivating to play. In this lesson we’ll only cover six such quality types; however, there will be more to discover in future lessons.