E7 Chord

The E7 chord is a dominant seventh chord built on the root note E. Its notes are E, G♯, B and D.

Dominant seventh chords sound tense and bluesy. The minor seventh on top of a major triad creates a pull toward a resolution, which is why this chord powers the blues and drives cadences in jazz and pop.

E7 on piano

Piano diagram of the E7 chordDEBDEBG♯G♯E7 — E · G♯ · B · D

To play E7 on piano, place your right-hand thumb on E, middle finger on G♯, and little finger on B. Press all keys at the same time and listen for a clear, balanced sound. Practice switching to and from this chord slowly, then with a metronome at a comfortable tempo.

E7 on guitar

Guitar chord diagram of the E7 chordE7

On guitar, E7 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. If the chord contains barred notes, keep your index finger flat across the fretboard and curve the other fingers so they do not mute the open strings. Strum only the strings marked as active in the diagram for the cleanest tone.

Play the chord

E7
E · G♯ · B · D

E7 chord notes

Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7Notes: E · G♯ · B · D
DegreeIntervalSemitonesNote
1Root0E
3Major third4G♯(G#)
5Perfect fifth7B
♭7Minor seventh10D

How to use the E7 chord

The E7 chord is built from a root, a major third, a perfect fifth and a minor seventh. Starting from the root E, stack the intervals to get the complete chord: E, G♯, B and D. Learning the formula is the fastest way to transpose the chord to any other key.

Dominant seventh chords are the heart of blues, jazz, funk and rock'n'roll. They typically act as the V7 chord resolving back to the tonic, or as a twelve-bar blues backbone.

Common progressions

The E7 chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.

Dominant resolution
I → ii → V7 → I
ABmE7A
Twelve-bar blues
I7 → IV7 → I7 → V7
E7A7E7B7
Jazz turnaround
I → vi → ii → V7
AF♯mBmE7

Related chords to E7

Once you are comfortable with E7, explore neighbouring chords to unlock new progressions. The chords below share notes, keys or functions with E7 and are a natural next step in your practice.

C7
C · E · G · A♯
C♯7
C♯ · F · G♯ · B
D7
D · F♯ · A · C
E♭7
E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭
E Major
E · G♯ · B
E Minor
E · G · B
Emaj7
E · G♯ · B · D♯
Em7
E · G · B · D
B7
B · D♯ · F♯ · A
A7
A · C♯ · E · G

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E7 chord?
The E7 chord contains E, G♯, B and D (E, G#, B and D in plain text).
Is the E7 chord major or minor?
E7 is a dominant seventh chord. Dominant seventh chords sound tense and bluesy. The minor seventh on top of a major triad creates a pull toward a resolution, which is why this chord powers the blues and drives cadences in jazz and pop.
How do you play E7 on piano?
Place your fingers on E, G♯, B and D and play the notes together. On piano, the root is usually played with the little finger of the left hand and the upper notes with the right hand.
How do you play E7 on guitar?
E7 is typically played using the fingering shown in the interactive diagram above. You can also try an open position if one of the chord tones lines up with an open string.
What chords work well with E7?
E7 pairs naturally with the chords listed in the related chords section. Chords a perfect fifth up or down, relative major or minor chords, and chords sharing two notes are all strong choices.

Keep exploring

Deepen your understanding of the E7 chord with our other music theory tools.

Browse all chordsTry the PianoOpen Circle of Fifths