This article on the G7 chord will introduce you to its music theory, note patterns on the fretboard, open, movable, and barre patterns, piano note layouts, inversions, fingering, associated scales, etc.
Read the complete article below to learn all about playing the F7 chord!
Music Theory, Notes & Intervals Of The F7 Chord
A dominant 7th chord contains the notes at scale degrees [5, 7, 2, and 4] of its major scale. The chord is formed by stacking intervals of M3 – m3 – m3 over the root note. Hence the intervals of the other three notes are M3 – P5 – m7 from the root. Notice that the chord has a minor seventh as against a major seventh in any major seventh chord.
The F Dominant seventh Chord naturally occurs in Bb major scale and carries the four notes [F A C Eb]
- F – Root Note
- A – Major third,
- C – Perfect Fifth,
- Eb – minor seventh
F7 Chord Scales
The F7 chord is formed naturally in the following scales.
- Bb Major Scale and its modes.
- C Melodic Minor Scale and its modes.
- Bb Melodic Minor scale and its modes.
- Bb Harmonic Minor scale and its modes.
- Bb Harmonic Major scale and its modes.
How To Play The G7 Chord
You will learn the various positions of the F7 chords and their inversions on the guitar fretboard and the piano in the upcoming sections.
Chord Notes Along All The Fretboard
The below diagram shows the chord tones (F, A, C, and Eb) spread over the entire fretboard to give you visual clues on the possible ways to play the chord. The root notes are shown in orange.
F Dominant Seventh Chord – Guitar Chord Shapes And Fingerings
You will be able to learn various ways to play the F7 guitar chord, which includes the open, movable, barre shapes and the inversion. In addition to the positions of these chords, you can also observe the preferred fingerings from the chord diagrams shown below.
The black circle on the top of the chord diagrams indicates the fret number to play on different strings, and the red circles show the recommended fingerings.
Here
- 1 – Index Finger,
- 2 – Middle Finger,
- 3 – Ring finger,
- 4 – Little Finger.
Strings marked ‘O’ are to be played open, while those marked ‘X’ are to be skipped or muted.
Open Position
There is only one recommended open position shown in the chord diagram below.
- O1 has the chord construction – (1 – 0 – 1 – x – 1 – x) and contains all the notes (1, 3, b7, and 5) of the chord.
O1
Movable Positions
There are ten recommended movable positions for the chord, shown in the diagrams M1 to M10 below.
- M1 – Construction – (1 – x – 1 – 2 – x – x). Notes – (1, b7, and 3). This is the most common voicing at the first fret position.
- M2 – Construction – (x – x – 3 – 2 – 4 – 1). Notes – (1, 3, b7, and 1). This is easier to play for those who are not comfortable with the Barre options.
- M3 – Construction – (1 – x – 1 – 2 – 1 – x). Notes – (1, b7, 3, and 5).
- M4 – Construction – (x – x – x – 5 – 4 – 5). Notes – (5, b7, and 3). This is a rootless voicing.
- M5 – Construction – (5 – x – 3 – 5 – 4 – x). Notes – (3, 1, 5, and b7). A is the bass note for this voicing.
- M6 – Construction – (x – x – 3 – 5 – 4 – 5). Notes – (1, 5, b7, and 3). This is the open D7 shape.
- M7 – Construction – (x – x – 7 – 8 – 6 – 8). Notes – (3, b7, 1, and 5).
- M8 – Construction – (x – 8 – 7 – 8 – x – x). Notes – (1, 3, and b7). Based on Open B7 chord.
- M9 – Construction – (x – 8 – 7 – 8 – 6 – x). Notes – (1, 3, b7, and 1). Based on Open C7 chord.
- M10 – Construction – (x – 8 – 7 – 8 – x – 8). Notes – (1, 3, b7, and 5). Based on Open B7 chord.
M1
M2
M3
M4
M5
M6
M7
M8
M9
M10
Barre Chords
Six Barre Chord shapes are shown below.
- B1 – This is a common voicing for the F7 chord.
- B2 – This is a difficult voicing, not often used.
- B3 – With all notes at the first position.
- B4 – The 3rd of the chord is omitted.
- B5 and B6 – At the 8th and 10th position of the fretboard.
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
Chord Diagrams – F7 Chord Inversions
The three chord inversions of the F7 chord are.
- First Inversion F7/A with notes [A C Eb F]. The Bass note is A.
- Second Inversion F7/C with notes [C Eb F A]. The lowest note is C.
- Third Inversion F7/Eb with notes [Eb F A C]. The Bass note is Eb.
I1
I2
I3
F7 Chord With Keyboard Diagram.
The keyboard diagram for the F7 chord in the root position is shown below, with the notes marked by red circles.
The fingering pattern left hand is 5 – 3 – 2 – 1, where 5 is the little finger, and 1 is the thumb.
The right-hand fingering pattern is 1 – 2 – 3 – 5. The finger numbers are the same for both hands.
First Inversion
The keyboard diagram for the F7/A, the first inversion, is shown below.
Fingering Arrangement
- Right Hand – 1 – 2 – 4 – 5.
- Left Hand – 5 – 3 – 2 – 1
Second Inversion
The keyboard diagram for the F7/C, the second inversion, is shown below.
Fingering Arrangement
- Right Hand – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5.
- Left Hand – 5 – 3 – 2 – 1
Third Inversion
The keyboard diagram for the F7/Eb, the third inversion, is.
Fingering Arrangement
- Right Hand – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5.
- Left Hand – 5 – 4 – 2 – 1