Which strings do I strum for C seven?

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

What notes are in a C seven chord?

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

What chords go with C7?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, F and G, and its relative minor, Am. Songs move between these because they share notes.

dominant seventh chord

C seven chord on guitar

C with the pinky added on the G string. It leans toward F, the way G7 leans toward C.

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Where the fingers go

1
ring finger, A string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A.
2
middle finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
3
pinky, G string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
4
index finger, B string, fret 1
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
5
Leave the thin e string open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
6
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 C7

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

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
C	root	A string, fret 3; B string, fret 1
E	major third	D string, fret 2; thin e string, open
G	fifth	not in the open shape
A#	flat seventh	G string, fret 3

The root, C, 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.

F and G are C7’s neighbours. Most songs in C7 use one or both.
Am 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. C7 wants to go to F.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

The pinky mutes the B string

Fret 3 on the G string sits right above the index finger. Keep the pinky upright so the B string at fret 1 still rings.

Tip

Build it from C

Hold a normal C, then drop the pinky on the G string at fret 3. Lift it and you are back to C.

Songs that use it

Blues in C, and the chord before F.

In those songs, C7 is followed by F . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for C seven?: 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
What notes are in a C seven chord?: C, E, G, A#. The C is the root, the note the chord is named after. The E makes it major.
What chords go with C7?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, F and G, and its relative minor, Am. Songs move between these because they share notes.