All chords › C › Dominant

C Dominant Chords

A major triad with a flat seventh on top. These chords lean forward and want to resolve, which is what makes a turnaround work.

6 chord types · 63 playable voicings · frets 2–12 · 47 use an open string

47 of the 63 shapes below let at least one string ring open, which usually makes them easier to hold and fuller to hear than the barred equivalents. The rest are movable grips. In the keys you are most likely to meet them, these chords sit as the I of C, the IV of F, and the V of G.

Jump to: C7 · C9 · C11 · C13 · C7add11 · C7add13

C7

CEGBb
15 shapes · open & play
X
X
2
1
3
4
X
O
3
1
3
2
4
X
3
1
3
1
4
1
X
X
3
1
2
4
3
5
4
3
1
1
1
2
O
O
7
2
1
3
4
O
O
8
1
4
2
3
O
8
1
3
1
2
1
X
X
O
8
1
3
2
8
1
3
1
2
1
1
8
1
3
1
2
4
1
X
X
O
O
10
1
2
X
X
O
10
1
3
2
X
X
O
10
1
2
3
X
X
10
1
3
2
4

C7 is the V and the VII chord of F major and D minor.

Progressions that actually use it: ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 (F major), Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 (F major), I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7 (F major), vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 (F major).

Fret and finger numbers for C7
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 3 2 3 X 3– 2 1 3 – 4
X 3 5 3 5 0– 1 3 2 4 –
X 3 5 3 5 3– 1 3 1 4 1
X 3 X 3 5 3– 1 – 2 4 3
8 7 5 5 5 64 3 1 1 1 2
8 7 8 0 8 02 1 3 – 4 –
8 10 8 0 8 01 4 2 – 3 –
8 10 8 9 8 01 3 1 2 1 –
8 10 8 X X 01 3 2 – – –
8 10 8 9 8 81 3 1 2 1 1
8 10 8 9 11 81 3 1 2 4 1
X X 10 0 11 0– – 1 – 2 –
X X 10 12 11 0– – 1 3 2 –
X X 10 0 11 12– – 1 – 2 3
X X 10 12 11 12– – 1 3 2 4

C9

CEGBbD
14 shapes · open & play
X
2
1
3
3
3
X
O
3
1
2
4
3
X
O
3
1
4
2
3
X
O
O
3
1
3
4
X
O
5
4
1
2
3
O
O
5
4
3
1
2
5
4
1
1
1
1
2
5
4
1
1
3
1
2
O
O
6
3
2
4
1
O
7
2
1
3
1
4
O
O
O
8
1
3
4
O
O
8
1
3
2
4
X
O
O
O
8
1
4
8
1
3
1
2
1
4

C9 is the V and the VII chord of F major and D minor.

Fret and finger numbers for C9
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 3 2 3 3 3– 2 1 3 3 3
X 3 0 3 5 3– 1 – 2 4 3
X 3 5 3 3 0– 1 4 2 3 –
X 3 0 0 5 6– 1 – – 3 4
8 5 X 0 5 64 1 – – 2 3
8 7 0 0 5 64 3 – – 1 2
8 5 5 5 5 64 1 1 1 1 2
8 5 5 7 5 64 1 1 3 1 2
8 7 0 0 8 63 2 – – 4 1
8 7 8 7 8 02 1 3 1 4 –
8 10 0 0 11 01 3 – – 4 –
8 10 0 9 11 01 3 – 2 4 –
8 X 0 0 11 01 – – – 4 –
8 10 8 9 8 101 3 1 2 1 4

C11

CEGBbDF
6 shapes · open & play
O
O
5
3
4
1
2
O
O
5
3
1
4
2
O
O
6
3
2
1
1
O
O
O
8
1
1
4
O
O
8
1
2
3
4
8
1
1
1
3
2
4

C11 is the V and the VII chord of F major and D minor.

Fret and finger numbers for C11
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
8 8 0 0 5 63 4 – – 1 2
8 5 8 0 6 03 1 4 – 2 –
8 7 0 0 6 63 2 – – 1 1
8 8 0 0 11 01 1 – – 4 –
8 10 0 10 11 01 2 – 3 4 –
8 8 8 9 8 101 1 1 3 2 4

C13

CEGBbDA
5 shapes · open & play
O
O
O
5
4
1
2
O
5
4
1
3
1
2
6
3
2
2
2
4
1
O
O
7
2
3
1
4
O
O
O
O
8
1
4

C13 is the V and the VII chord of F major and D minor.

Fret and finger numbers for C13
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
8 0 0 0 5 64 – – – 1 2
8 0 5 7 5 64 – 1 3 1 2
8 7 7 7 8 63 2 2 2 4 1
8 0 8 7 8 02 – 3 1 4 –
8 0 0 0 11 01 – – – 4 –

C7add11

CEGBbF
13 shapes · open & play
X
O
3
1
3
2
4
X
O
3
1
1
3
4
X
3
1
1
1
3
2
O
O
5
2
3
4
1
5
3
4
1
1
1
2
O
6
3
2
4
1
1
O
O
6
3
2
4
1
O
O
6
2
3
4
1
O
8
1
1
1
3
2
O
8
1
1
1
3
2
O
8
1
3
1
4
1
O
O
8
1
1
1
4
O
O
8
1
1
3
4

C7add11 is the V and the VII chord of F major and D minor.

Fret and finger numbers for C7add11
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
X 3 5 3 6 0– 1 3 2 4 –
X 3 3 0 5 6– 1 1 – 3 4
X 3 3 3 5 3– 1 1 1 3 2
8 8 8 0 5 02 3 4 – 1 –
8 8 5 5 5 63 4 1 1 1 2
8 7 8 0 6 63 2 4 – 1 1
8 7 8 0 6 03 2 4 – 1 –
8 8 8 0 6 02 3 4 – 1 –
8 8 8 9 8 01 1 1 3 2 –
8 8 8 10 8 01 1 1 3 2 –
8 10 8 10 8 01 3 1 4 1 –
8 8 8 0 11 01 1 1 – 4 –
8 8 10 0 11 01 1 3 – 4 –

C7add13

CEGBbA
10 shapes · open & play
O
5
4
1
1
1
2
O
O
5
4
3
1
2
O
O
5
2
3
1
4
O
O
O
8
1
2
3
O
O
8
1
2
4
3
O
O
O
8
1
2
3
O
O
8
1
3
2
4
O
8
1
3
1
2
4
O
O
X
O
8
1
2
8
1
3
1
2
4
1

C7add13 is the V and the VII chord of F major and D minor.

Fret and finger numbers for C7add13
Frets (low E → high E)Fingering
8 0 5 5 5 64 – 1 1 1 2
8 0 7 0 5 64 – 3 – 1 2
8 0 8 5 8 02 – 3 1 4 –
8 0 8 0 8 01 – 2 – 3 –
8 0 8 9 8 01 – 2 4 3 –
8 0 8 0 10 01 – 2 – 3 –
8 10 8 0 10 01 3 2 – 4 –
8 10 8 9 10 01 3 1 2 4 –
8 0 8 0 X 01 – 2 – – –
8 10 8 9 10 81 3 1 2 4 1

Every chord above has an open & play link that opens it in the interactive dictionary, where you can hear it and step through the shapes. You can also work backwards from a shape you are already holding.