E Shape Chords: Dominant 7th

Dominant 7th Chord has a very useful tension (dissonance), and you'll find it in most music styles. For example, the Beatles used many 7th Chords, and you'll often hear Dominant 7th Chords in classical music, in what we call cadence. They're everywhere!

If you're following my Intermediate Guitar Courses, we've just learned how to play E Shape Barre Chords - major and minor grips. Like the E Shape Minor, they need one finger removal, but that might cause you a different set of problems.

In this lesson, we'll learn the best way to play the E Shape Dominant 7th Chords, explore the common problems you might encounter and how to handle them. The common barre chord 7th grip that we check out first is handy, but sometimes a smaller grip with fewer notes will sound better and really bring out the chord's qualities.

But first things first!

 

How Do Dominant 7th Chords Sound?

Dominant 7th chords sound full of tension! They sound like they're going somewhere, and the cool thing about that is that they've got some movement. You can easily get what I mean when listening to some examples, especially how it sounds in classical music. :)

 

How to Play E Shape Dominant 7th Chord

Here's a very easy trick you can try to play E Shape Dominant 7th Chords easily. Start with the regular Major Shape, and then lift off your 4th finger! You'll notice that it can be pretty tricky, so check out these three tricks you can try. Take a look at the chord diagram:

 

Playing 7th Chord Grips - Tip 1

First, get that index finger in the right position! Don't forget to check if you've rolled your first finger (the barre) slightly over onto its side - about 30 degrees. That's where the flesh is not as soft, and it's closer to the bone. Take a look:

With minor barre chords, the problem was to get the 3rd string ringing out, remember? Now your challenge is to get the 4th string sounding clear and clean. Let's see how to correct that. :)

 

Playing 7th Chord Grips - Tip 2

Getting the 4th string sounding clean and clear when playing Dom 7th Chord grips can be a struggle. 

Sometimes, your best option will be to move the barre a little up or down to get the note sounding good. But first, check that it is not your 3rd finger touching the 4th string - that's such a common problem! :(

Last but not least, check out your thumb position when playing those barre chords - see the next tip. 

 

Playing 7th Chord Grips - Tip 3

Remember to keep your thumb around the back. Roughly, it should be on the other side of the neck to the 2nd finger. But everyone is slightly different, so don't stress if yours is not. ;)

Practice picking out all the notes one at a time and make sure they are all clear. Remember that consistent practice is key here! If you're struggling to follow an effective practice routine, use My Practice Assistant - it might be the key to your success!

 

Alternative Fingering for Dom 7th Grips

The pinky variation is pretty used! Like that, you'll put your pinky down on the second string, three frets higher than the barre. That is one octave higher than the note on String 4, but it often sounds fantastic!

If you add that note, it doesn’t matter so much if you mute String 4! As long as you get that 7th in there, you will have the right sound. Which one you use is more a case of preference - what do you think sounds good in the situation. 

 

Shhh… The Cool Little Cheat is Here! :)

With all this said - I find these big 7th chords a bit cumbersome. I actually feel they can be pretty heavy and complex to use, so I end up rarely using the full grips when I'm playing songs! 

I use a lot more a smaller 3-note 7th Grip, which has quite a few fingering options. Most commonly, I use fingers 1, 2, and 4. Take a look:

 

Try it out as an alternative to a full 7th chord! Sometimes, it’ll work a lot better - sometimes, it won’t. But generally, I find that this 3-note grip works well because it’s not crowded. The essential notes are there to shine, and getting rid of the trash helps it sing. :)

 

Root Notes

There are no changes for the 7th Chords - the root notes for all E Shape Barre Chords will be in the same place. :) I’m hoping you know them by now. If you want to dig deeper, check out the JustinGuitar Practical Music Theory Course! 

 

Practice Routine

Your practice session for this lesson only requires 10 minutes! I recommend your start with your barre chord practice and then play songs you really dig.

 

Item 1 - 5 mins - Barre Chord Practice

Same drill as last as the last couple of lessons, but you should work on 7th Chords and Minor Chords and Major Chords this time!

You can heavily lean on the 7th chords for the first few practice sessions but then alternate between all of them. You can either alternate days or within the same practice session - whatever works best for you!

 

Item 2 - 5 Minutes - Song Work

I'd suggest that you still spend some time working on the regular Major and Minor Barre Chord grips that we have covered so far, but for Dominant 7th Chord practice - you can’t beat a Blues. ;)

Check out my song tutorials if you need extra help with your repertoire. See you soon.