Subject: Thirteen movable seventh chords
From:
Marion
Date: 09 Jan 03 - 11:32 AM
Hello all. Here is a list of ways to play (dominant) seventh chords. All are in standard tuning, and all are fully movable: all six strings are fretted or muted so that the chord form can be used at any fret.
Most of these chord forms have been gleaned from different Mudcat threads, I'm just gathering them here for reference sake and because I think it's cool that there are so many options.
To use the verbal descriptions, the high E is string 1, B string is string 2, and so on. In the tablature format (eg. 131211), the first number is where the low E string is fretted, the second number is where the A string is fretted, and so on; an X is a muted string.
(This is a second edition with tablature for each chord added by John Hardly - thanks, John.)
ROOT NOTE ON 6TH STRING:
1A. Your Basic Barre Chord
For an F7: 131211
Barre all six strings at 1st fret with index finger.
Ring finger frets 5th string, 3rd fret.
Middle finger frets 3rd string, 2nd fret.
1B. Slight variation on basic barre chord
For F7, use the fingering above and add your pinkie to the 2nd string, 4th fret to get an extra flatted seventh note: 131241.
2A. Third Favourite Thing I Learned from Willie-O
For a B7: 7X787X
Index finger on 6th string, 7th fret; index finger also mutes the 5th string.
Middle finger on 4th string, 7th fret.
Pinkie on 3rd string, 8th fret.
Ring finger on 2nd string, 7th fret.
The 1st string is muted by the lower part of your index finger as it reaches across towards the 5th and 6th string.
Note: To use this for an A7 at the 5th fret, you don't have to mute the 1st or 5th string, and it's optional whether you fret the 6th string or play it open: 505650 or 005650.
2B. Thumbed variation
Thumb frets 6th string, 7th fret; thumb also mutes 5th string.
Index finger on 4th string, 7th fret.
Ring finger on 3rd string, 8th fret.
Middle finger on 2nd string, 7th fret.
Lower part of index mutes 1st string in passing.
Note: This is the same voicing as 2A, but the thumbed approach feels quite different and may be more or less handy depending on what the preceding chord is.
2C. Another thumbed variation
Thumb frets 6th string, 7th fret; thumb also mutes 5th string.
Index finger barres strings 2, 3, and 4 at 7th fret, and mutes 1st string in passing.
Middle finger frets 3rd string, 8th fret.
Note: This is also the same voicing as 2A and 2B: I find that between the thumbed variations, 2B feels more comfortable lower on the neck and 2C is better higher.
ROOT NOTE ON THE 5TH STRING
3A. The Only Other Conventional Barre Chord on this List
For a B7: 224242
Index finger barres all six strings at 2nd fret.
Middle finger frets 4th string, 4th fret.
Ring finger frets 2nd string, 4th fret.
3B. Slight variation: 224245
Use the fingering in 3A and add your pinkie to 1st string, 5th fret for an extra seventh.
4. Our Famous Friend the Movable B7 Chord
For a D7: 5545X5
Middle finger frets 6th and 5th strings at 5th fret.
Index finger on 4th string, 4th fret.
Ring finger on 3rd string, 5th fret; ring finger also mutes 2nd string.
Pinkie frets 1st string, 5th fret.
Note: If you play this at frets 6 and 7 for an E7 chord, you don't need to mute the 2nd string, and you can either fret the 6th string or play it open: 076707 or 776707.
5. Thumbed Equivalent to A-shape Barre Chord
For a B7: 224445
Thumb frets 6th and 5th strings at 2nd fret.
Ring finger barres strings 2, 3, and 4 at 4th fret.
Pinkie on 1st string, 5th fret.
Note: this one is pretty hard on the ring finger. I find it helps to put my middle finger right beside it and press down with both.
6. The Easiest One to Play on this List IMO
For a D7: 55453X
Ring finger on 6th and 5th strings at 5th fret.
Middle finger on 4th string, 4th fret.
Ring finger on 3rd string, 5 fret.
Index finger on 2nd string, 3rd fret; index also mutes 1st string.
Note: Your pinkie is free for lead work. I usually make this one even easier for myself by moving my ring finger back and forth between 5th and 6th strings rather than holding them both down, and by avoiding the 1st string rather than muting it.
7. How Merle Travis Often Played Sevenths, I'm Told
For a D7: 554535
Thumb frets 6th and 5th string at 5th fret.
Middle finger on 4th string, 4th fret.
Ring finger on 3rd string, 5th fret.
Index finger on 2nd string, 3rd fret.
Pinkie on 1st string, 5th fret.
Note: I find this one interesting because the thumb is used at the right edge of the action instead of at the left end of things; in spite of this, it isn't really harder to play than other thumbed chords.
John Hardly's note: At 7th fret (E7) it can be played 0X6757 (opening to "Deep River Blues"). When I play this variation movably, I mute the 5th string.
8. Seventh Chord for Masochistic Showoffs
For a D7: 554532
Ring finger frets 6th and 5th string at 5th fret.
Middle finger on 4th string, 4th fret.
Pinkie on 3rd string, 5th fret.
Index finger is bent and laid on the fretboard on its side so that you're fretting both 2nd string, 3rd fret and 1st string, 2nd fret.
Note: I've used this chord several times; not in a song, God forbid, but as a parlour trick. The thing to do is make a diagram showing what notes need to be fretted and see if your friends can figure out how to finger it.
John notes further: To "bend" the index finger try to think of the flesh between the 2nd and 3rd joints as what you play the 1st string with, and the tip of the finger for the 2nd string.
ROOT NOTE ON THE 3RD STRING
9. Interesting Chord Contributed by Mark Clark
For a B7: 5X4445
Thumb frets 6th string at 5th fret; thumb also mutes 5th string.
Index finger barres strings 2, 3, and 4 at 4th fret.
Middle finger frets 1st string, 5th fret.
Note: You can vary this into a sixth chord by moving the thumb back one fret (still fretting the 6th string and muting the 5th) and lifting your middle finger so that the partial barre includes the 1st string (4X4444). You could also play this chord with just ring and middle finger. It's cute because it's just a straight line.
Marion
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