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The Dominant 7th chords are perhaps the most common chord shape guitarists will encounter when branching out of simple major and minor chord progressions. Let's get these under our belt.
Here we have our first group of chords that are not simply major or minor.
These are called Dominant 7th chords.
You may see these written as: "Adom7", for example.
It is also correct to simply write that chord as "A7", so be prepared for either notation!
Later, we will learn how this chord is constructed and when to use it, but for now, it is enough to simply start memorizing these chord shapes.
Also, take some time to see how the sound of these chords makes you feel.
They're a little tense, more unsettled, than the chords we've learned so far. A little blues-y.
To me, they almost feel like a question, waiting for an answer. Once we understand how this chord works, you'll know what that answer should be.
As usual, once you are comfortable forming these chords, you want to practice transitioning between them. Find which ones give you the most difficulty, and spend the majority of your time on those.
If you want to hear how these chords will sound when used properly, try opening up the link below in a separate window:
Now go through the chord progressions as before, but this time, change the THIRD chord in each progression to a Dominant 7th.
So, we will be playing:
G-C-D7-G
A-D-E7-A
C-F-G7-C
Do you hear how the tension the Dominant 7th chord introduces is resolved by the final chord?Â
That's why the Dom7 is such an effective chord. It introduces a very strong pull back to the root.
Get comfortable with these chords. If you've been following along, you should now know 21 chord shapes in total.
That's ABCDEFG in Major, Minor, and Dom7 configurations.
Test yourself now and see which ones you recall. Anything that doesn't come to mind, write it down. Once you check yourself on all 21 chords, take a moment to relearn any you've forgotten.
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