B7 Guitar Chord

B7 is the B dominant seventh chord. It has four notes: B, D♯, F♯ and A. For most players it is the first new chord after the beginner set, and the good news is you do not need a barre to play it.

The standard shape and the one to learn first. Four fingers, no barre.

How to play B7, step by step

Middle finger: 2nd fret, A string
Index finger: 1st fret, D string
Ring finger: 2nd fret, G string
Pinky: 2nd fret, high E string
Leave the B string open. Strum from the A string down, skipping the low E.

Easy B7 for beginners (no barre)

The standard B7 already needs no barre, which is why most players learn it long before B major. If four fingers at once is too much at first, use the easier shapes below and grow into the full chord.

The 3-finger version simply drops the pinky; you lose one doubled note and nobody will notice. The 2-finger version is the smallest B7 that still works. Use it for your first week, then come back.

Neither easy shape is wrong. A chord's identity comes from three notes: the root, the third and the seventh. Every shape on this page keeps all three, so every one of them is a real B7. The bigger shapes just add doubled notes for a fuller sound.

More ways to play B7

There are 6 common B7 shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

B7 guitar chord diagram, easier, 3 fingers, played x2120x — Easier, 3 fingers

B7 guitar chord diagram, easiest, 2 fingers, played xx120x — Easiest, 2 fingers

B7 guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 2, played x24242 — Barre at fret 2

B7 guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 7, played 797877 — Barre at fret 7

B7 guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 9 to 11, played xx 9 11 10 11 — Compact, frets 9 to 11

If it buzzes or sounds dead

Low E rings out: Let the tip of your middle finger touch it lightly, or start the strum from the A string.
Open B string sounds muted: Curl the ring finger and pinky so they press with their tips. Flat fingers lean on the B string and kill it.
Buzzing notes: Move each finger back right behind its fret and press with the fingertip, not the pad.

What makes it a B7

B · D♯ · F♯ · A 1 3 5 ♭7

B7 is a dominant seventh: a B major triad (B, D♯, F♯) plus a minor seventh (A). That added note creates tension that wants to resolve to E. This is why B7 appears in nearly every song in the key of E, and it also resolves to E minor as the V chord of that key.

B vs B7

B major has three notes; B7 adds an A. On guitar the practical difference is bigger: B major needs a barre, B7 has an open shape. If a song in E asks for B and your barre is not ready, B7 usually works.

B7 chord questions

Is B7 harder than B?

No. B7 has an open shape most beginners manage in their first months. Full B major needs a barre, so B7 is usually learned first.

Do you strum the low E string in B7?

No. The low E is not part of the chord. Start the strum from the A string, or mute the low E with your middle fingertip.

Do the easy B7 shapes sound worse?

Thinner, not wrong. The 2-finger and 3-finger versions keep the three notes that make B7 what it is: B, D sharp and A. Jazz players use small shapes like this on purpose. The full shapes only add doubled notes for a bigger sound.

Can I play B7 without a barre?

Yes. The standard open B7 (x21202) has no barre, and there are 3-finger and 2-finger versions.

What does B7 resolve to?

E. B7 is the dominant (V) chord of E major, of E blues, and of E minor.