E7 Chord
Dominant 7th chords have a tense, unresolved quality that strongly wants to resolve down a fifth to the tonic. They are the cornerstone of blues harmony and appear in every style from jazz to gospel to rock.
Notes in E7
The E7 dominant 7th chord contains E — A♭ — B — D. It is built from the following intervals above the root:
| Degree | Interval name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | E |
| 3 | Major third | A♭ |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | B |
| ♭7 | Minor seventh | D |
Interval formula: root (1) — major third (3) — perfect fifth (5) — minor seventh (♭7) (0, 4, 7, 10 semitones).
Sound and Character
Dominant 7th chords have a tense, unresolved quality that strongly wants to resolve down a fifth to the tonic. They are the cornerstone of blues harmony and appear in every style from jazz to gospel to rock. The E7 dominant 7th is built on the same root as E major, with the addition of the ♭7th degree (D). That single added note creates the defining tension of the dominant 7th chord.
Key Function
E7 functions as the dominant chord (V7) resolving to C# major or E minor. The V7 chord in any major or minor key. In blues, every chord in a 12-bar blues is played as a dominant 7th (I7, IV7, V7), which is the defining characteristic of the blues sound.
Famous Songs Featuring E7
- "Sweet Child O' Mine" – Guns N' Roses
- "Comfortably Numb" (E major chorus) – Pink Floyd
- "All Along the Watchtower" – Jimi Hendrix
Voicing Tips
On piano: try the rootless voicing (3rd and ♭7th only) common in jazz — this creates space for the bass. On guitar: dominant 7th shapes are compact and sit naturally in 1st position. Open the MusoKit chord finder to see E7 on piano, guitar, and ukulele with audio playback — compare voicings across instruments to find the one that fits your playing style.
FAQs
What notes are in the E7 chord?
The E7 dominant 7th chord contains: E — A♭ — B — D. The intervals are root (1) — major third (3) — perfect fifth (5) — minor seventh (♭7).
What key is the E7 chord in?
E7 functions as the dominant chord (V7) resolving to C# major or E minor.
How do you play E7 on guitar?
Open the chord finder to see common guitar voicings for E7. E7 is available in multiple positions — the chord finder shows the most practical shapes for each instrument.
What is the difference between E major and E7?
The E7 dominant 7th is built on the same root as E major, with the addition of the ♭7th degree (D). That single added note creates the defining tension of the dominant 7th chord.
What chords go well with E7?
Chords from the same key sound most natural alongside E7. Use the scale explorer to explore the full set of diatonic chords in the keys where E7 appears, and the circle of fifths to find harmonically adjacent chords.