B7 open chord (x21202)
- Fingering
- x21202
- Fingers
- – 2 1 3 – 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Position
- open position
Notes in the B dominant 7th chord
The B7 chord is made of B · D♯ · F♯ · A. Its formula is 1–3–5–♭7.
| Note | Degree | Interval from B |
|---|---|---|
| B | 1 | root |
| D♯ | 3 | major third |
| F♯ | 5 | perfect fifth |
| A | ♭7 | minor seventh |
How to play the B7 guitar chord
Second finger on the 2nd fret of the A string, first finger on the 1st fret of the D string, third finger on the 2nd fret of the G string, fourth finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string. The B string rings open.
Strum from the A string. It is one of the few four-finger open chords, and the usual way to play B7 in the keys of E and E minor.
Why your B7 chord buzzes or sounds muted
The open B string sits between your third and fourth fingers and is easily muted by either one. It is the root of the chord, so check it rings.
Place the second and first fingers first; they are the anchor, and the other two fall into place around them.
B7 barre chord
B7 has 2 barre shapes here: 224242 (barre at the 2nd fret) and 797877 (barre at the 7th fret).
A barre shape has no open strings, so it moves. Slide any of them up one fret and you are playing C7.
B7 open chord
The open B7 chord is x21202. It uses the open B string, which is why it rings longer than the shapes higher up the neck.
Songs that use B7
- Nothing Else Matters (Metallica): Em D C G B7 Am
- Autumn Leaves (Jazz standard): Am7 D7 Gmaj7 Cmaj7 F#m7b5 B7 Em
- Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash): E A B7
Chord names only, as the songs are usually charted for guitar. Recordings may use a capo or another key.
Keys with the B7 chord
B7 is the V chord in E major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in C# minor.
Chords related to B7
B7 guitar chord questions
How do you play a B7 chord on guitar?
Play x21202, reading from the low E string to the high E string. An x means the string is not played and a 0 means it rings open. The fingers used are - 2 1 3 - 4.
What notes are in the B7 chord?
The B dominant 7th chord has 4 notes: B, D#, F# and A. Its formula is 1–3–5–♭7, counted from the B major scale.
What keys is the B7 chord in?
B7 is the V chord in E major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in C# minor.
B7 chord diagram to print or save
Printable B7 chord PDF (one letter page, black on white) · B7 chord PNG (1200 px)
