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B7 Chord on Guitar

B7 is the B dominant 7th chord — 4 notes (B, D♯, F♯, A) built from the formula 1 3 5 ♭7. Below are playable shapes across the fretboard, the keys it belongs to and the scales to use when soloing over it.

Notes: B · D♯ · F♯ · AFormula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7Hear it and see it on the fretboard ▸

B7: Chord shapes (open & barre)

  • B7 – open position×R3♭7R5open position
  • B7 – fret 1×R3♭73×fret 1
  • B7 – fret 2×R5♭735fret 2
  • B7 – fret 44R35R3♭7fret 4
  • B7 – fret 77R5♭735Rfret 7
  • B7 – fret 88××R3♭73fret 8
  • B7 – fret 99××R5♭73fret 9
  • B7 – fret 1212×R3♭7R×fret 12

B7: Drop 2 voicings

  • B7 – bass: 55R3♭7××bass: 5
  • B7 – bass: 58×5R3♭7×bass: 5
  • B7 – bass: 5××5R3♭7bass: 5
  • B7 – bass: ♭74♭735R××bass: ♭7
  • B7 – bass: ♭711×♭735R×bass: ♭7
  • B7 – bass: ♭77××♭735Rbass: ♭7
  • B7 – bass: R7R5♭73××bass: R
  • B7 – bass: R×R5♭73×bass: R
  • B7 – bass: R9××R5♭73bass: R
  • B7 – bass: 393♭7R5××bass: 3
  • B7 – bass: 34×3♭7R5×bass: 3
  • B7 – bass: 312××3♭7R5bass: 3

B7: Drop 3 voicings

  • B7 – bass: 393×R5♭7×bass: 3
  • B7 – bass: 34×3×R5♭7bass: 3
  • B7 – bass: 5125×3♭7R×bass: 5
  • B7 – bass: 57×5×3♭7Rbass: 5
  • B7 – bass: ♭7♭7×5R3×bass: ♭7
  • B7 – bass: ♭711×♭7×5R3bass: ♭7
  • B7 – bass: R7R×♭735×bass: R
  • B7 – bass: R×R×♭735bass: R

B7: Shell voicings (jazz)

  • B7 – R-3-76R3♭7×××R-3-7
  • B7 – R-3-7×R3♭7××R-3-7
  • B7 – R-7-37R×♭73××R-7-3
  • B7 – R-7-3×R×♭73×R-7-3

Keys that contain B7

Scales to play over B7

Ordered from the most common choice. All of them contain B, D♯, F♯, A.

Other B chords

Triads

Sevenths

Sixths

Added

Extended

Dominant 7th chords in other keys

FAQ

What notes are in the B7 chord?
B7 (B dominant 7th) contains B, D♯, F♯, A — formula 1 3 5 ♭7.
How do you play B7 on guitar?
A common shape is x21202 (low E to high E, x = muted string, open position). This page shows more shapes, drop 2, drop 3 and shell voicings in the interactive library.
What scale goes with B7?
Good choices to solo over B7: B Mixolydian, B Lydian dominant, B Phrygian dominant.
What key is B7 in?
B7 is diatonic in E major (V7), C♯ minor (♭VII7).