G7 Chord - Learn to Play on Guitar & Piano Keyboard

The G Dominant 7th chord is

Formed by adding an m3 interval over the dominant triad built from the 5th scale degree of a major or harmonic minor scale.
The notes of the G7 chord are [G, B, D, and F]. The F is stacked over the G major chord [G, B, and D].
The note F is at a minor 7th interval from the root G.

G7 Chord Scales

The G7 chord is formed naturally in the following scales.

C Major key & its modes.
C Melodic Minor Scale & its modes.
D Melodic minor scale & its modes.
C Harmonic Minor & its modes.
C Harmonic Major & its modes

How To Play The G7 Chord – Map Chords Tones Along The Fretboard

The below diagram shows you how the four notes of the G7 guitar chords are spread out over the entire guitar fretboard. The root notes are shown in orange color.

G Dominant Seventh Chord – Guitar Chord Shapes And Fingerings

Here, the numbers in red circles are:

1 – Index Finger,
2 – Middle Finger,
3 – Ring finger,
4 – Little Finger.

The ‘X’ marking in black circles indicates that the corresponding strings either have to be muted or not played at all.

Open Position

The below chord diagrams show the seven open positions, beginning from the top of the fretboard near the nut and moving towards the body.

O1 has the chord construction – (3 – 2 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 1) and contains all the notes (1, 3, 5, 1, 3, and b7) of the chord.
O2 – Chord construction – (x – x – x – 0 – 0 – 1). Notes – (1, 3, and b7) with omitted 5th. You only need to fret the high e-string on the first fret.
O3 – Chord construction – (x – 2 – 3 – 0 – 3 – x). Notes – (3, b7, 1, and 5).
O4 – Chord construction – (3 – 2 – 0 – 0 – 3 – 1). Notes – (1, 3, 5, 1, 5, and b7).
O5 – Chord construction – (3 – 2 – 3 – 0 – 0 – 3). Notes – (1, 3, b7, 1, 3, and 1). Omitted 5th.
O6 – Chord construction – (3 – 2 – 3 – 0 – 0 – 1). Notes – (1, 3, b7, 1, 3, and b7). Omitted 5th.
O7 – Chord construction – (x – 10 – 9 – 10 – 0 – 10). Notes – (1, 3, b7, 3, and 5). The low e-string is muted.

Movable Positions

The below chord diagrams marked M1 to M10 show ten ways to play the G7 chords in movable patterns.

M1 – Construction – (x – x – x – 7 – 6 – 7). Notes – (5, b7, and 3). Rootless voicing.
M2 – Construction – (3 – x – 3 – 4 – x – x). Notes – (1, b7, and 3). Omitted 5th.
M3 – Construction – (3 – x – 3 – 4 – 3 – x). Notes – (1, b7, 3, and 5).
M4 – Construction – (x – 2 – 3 – 4 – 3 – x). Notes – (3, b7, 3, and 5). Omitted root and 3rd in the bass.
M5 – Construction – (x – x – 5 – 4 – 6 – 3). Notes – (1, 3, b7, and 1).
M6 – Construction – (x – x – 5 – 7 – 6 – 7). Notes – (1, 5, b7, and 3). This utilizes the open D7 shape.
M7 – Construction – (7 – x – 5 – 7 – 6 – x). Notes – (3, 1, 5, and b7). This G7 chord voicing is in the first inversion.
M8 – Construction – (x – x – 9 – 7 – 6 – 7). Notes – (3, 5, b7, and 3). This is another first inversion voicing with the root omitted.
M9 – Construction – (x – 10 – 9 – 10 – x – x). Notes – (1, 3, and b7). This is commonly used in the Jazz guitar.
M10 – Construction – (x – 10 – 9 – 10 – 8 – x). Notes – (1, 3, b7, and 1). This pattern utilizes the open C7 chord shape. It is played with high e and Low e strings muted.

M10

Barre Chords

The chord diagrams for 3 Barre chords are shown below with explanations as under:

B1 – This is a rootless voicing with the 5th in the bass.
B2 and B3 – These are the same shapes as B4 and B5 in the C7 chord article and are based on the open E7 chord shape.