A7 chord

A7 chord for guitar in different forms, including open and barre chords.

A7

The diagram shows the most common chord shape for A 7th. Avoid playing on the 6th string. A7 is a four-note chord consisting of A, C#, E, G.

Alternative shapes

A7 barre

A7

A7 (G on top)

Relevant chords

A7sus4

A7add11

Theory and information

Try in a chord progression

A7 - D7 - Bm7 - E7 (see with diagrams in pdf)

Chord names

A7 is a dominant chord. A7/C#, A7/E and A7/G are inversions of the chord.

Notes in the chord

The notes that the A7 chord consists of are A, C#, E, G.
To get A9 add B.
To get Amaj7 replace G with G#.

Intervals

The A seventh is constructed with the formula 1-3-5-b7. The 5th is sometimes omitted as in the pictured version below in which the 1 (A) and b7 (G) intervals is played with open strings:

Comments

The X02023 fingering use doubling G note instead of doubling E, which makes the dominant character extra strong and perhaps "bluesier". The A7 with XX2223 fingering can also be fingered X02223. This voicing is sometimes referred to as A with G on the top due to the highest note in the chord being a G note.

Inversions

1st inversion: A7/C# (means that C# is the bass note).
2nd inversion: A7/E (means that E is the bass note).
3rd inversion: A7/G (means that G is the bass note).
Diagrams of these inversions

Assorted slash chords

Versions with alternate bass notes in short notation:

A7/B: X22025
A7/C: X32025
A7/D: XX0025 / X55655
A7/F: 102020

For pdf, see The Chord Reference ebook with over 800 chord charts.

Alternative chord names

A7/D is identical with A11/D.

Omissions

A7 (no3) is an A dominant 7th with no third (C#).
A7 (no5) is an A dominant 7th with no fifth (E).

Written in tab format (main version in open position)

- 0 -
- 2 -
- 0 -
- 2 -
- 0 -
- - -

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