Which strings do I strum for A seven?

5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.

What notes are in an A seven chord?

A, C#, E, G. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. The C# makes it major.

What chords go with A7?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, D and E, and its relative minor, F#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.

dominant seventh chord

How to play A seven chord on guitar

A major with the middle string open. Two fingers, an easy shape, a bluesy sound.

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Where the fingers go

1
middle finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
2
ring finger, B string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
3
Leave the A, G, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
4
Strum 5 strings, from the A string down
Skip the thick E. It would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in A7

A chord is three or four notes played together. A seven is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
A	root	A string, open
C#	major third	B string, fret 2
E	fifth	D string, fret 2; thin e string, open
G	flat seventh	G string, open

The root, A, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds restless, it wants to move on.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

D and E are A7’s neighbours. Most songs in A7 use one or both.
F#m is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.
A seventh chord pulls to the chord one step anticlockwise. A7 wants to go to D or D minor.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Muting the open G

The G string at fret 0 is the seventh. Keep the fingers on their tips so it rings.

Tip

Two fingers, two strings

Index on D at fret 2, ring on B at fret 2. Nothing else.

Songs that use it

Blues in A and E, and the chord before D.

In those songs, A7 is followed by D7 D . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for A seven?: 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
What notes are in an A seven chord?: A, C#, E, G. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. The C# makes it major.
What chords go with A7?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, D and E, and its relative minor, F#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.