B seventh chord (B7)

B seventh is a 4-note dominant seventh chord: B – D♯ – F♯ – A. It sounds tense: it wants to resolve to another chord. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio.

NotesB – D♯ – F♯ – A
Formula1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7
SymbolB7 · Bdom7
TypeDominant seventh chord

B seventh on guitar

Open position
Barre at fret 2 (A shape)
Barre at fret 7 (E shape)

How to place your fingers (open position)

Finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of string 5 (A).
Finger 1 (index finger) on fret 1 of the 4th string (D).
Finger 3 (ring finger) on fret 2 of the 3rd string (G).
Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 2 of string 1 (E).
String 2 is played open.
Do not play the 6th string: strum from the 5th.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (B). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

B seventh on piano

In root position, play B – D♯ – F♯ – A from bottom to top with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 of your right hand. With your left hand you usually play just the root (B) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: D♯ – F♯ – A – B
Second inversion: F♯ – A – B – D♯
Third inversion: A – B – D♯ – F♯

B seventh on ukulele

From fret 2
From fret 3

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of B seventh

B1 · root
D♯3 · major third
F♯5 · perfect fifth
A♭7 · minor seventh

It's the dominant chord (V7): it sets up the arrival at the tonic and is the foundation of blues, son and many song endings.

Progressions with B7

A dominant that resolves: V7 – I

B7
E

B7 is the fifth degree of E major: its tension wants to resolve to E.

The ii–V–I: ii7 – V7 – Imaj7

The most common cadence in jazz and bossa nova.

Which keys contain B seventh?

B7 belongs to 2 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
E major	V7
C♯ natural minor	VII7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B seventh chord?

B seventh (B7) has 4 notes: B (root), D♯ (major third), F♯ (perfect fifth), A (minor seventh).

How do you play B seventh on guitar?

The easiest shape is in open position: x 2 1 2 0 2 (from the 6th to the 1st string). Place finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of the 5th string (A). Place finger 1 (index) on fret 1 of the 4th string (D). Place finger 3 (ring) on fret 2 of the 3rd string (G). Place finger 4 (pinky) on fret 2 of the 1st string (E). Let the 2nd string ring open. Do not play the 6th string: strum from the 5th string.

What is the chord symbol for B seventh?

It is written B7; you may also see Bdom7. Letter-name chord notation uses C, D, E, F, G, A and B for the notes.

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