A D7 guitar chord can come up in many shapes, but the main one that most people know it by is xx0212. Other versions of the chord can be seen in the Uberchord display below.

The shapes for X5453X and the shape at fret 10 will be two shapes of this type of chord that you’ll see quite often with all dominant 7th chords. If you’re familiar with the key of g guitar, then a lot of this should be easy to learn. So take the time to learn these chords, as well as a few popular songs like the ones we’ll talk about in the next section…..

Popular Songs That Use The D7 Guitar Chord

Some of the greatest songs of all time use this chord! This is actually used quite a bit on the guitar because so many songs are set in the key of G Major. In G Major, D7 is the V or V7 chord in many chord progressions that use the D7 guitar chord. If you don’t know a lot about theory or how the d7 guitar chord works yet, that’s okay! We’ll go over some of this in the next section as it does help a lot if you’re at a more advanced level.  

For now, just play the following chords together to get an idea of the key of G major. The chords of G Major include C, D7, Em, Bm, and Am. 

Now let’s play the chords to the classic song “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. Even though this song came out at the height of Motown’s dominance in the early 60s, it has stood the test of time and won’t hurt any guitarist who puts this in their repertoire. It’s also a great example of the I – vi – IV – V progression that appeared nearly everywhere during that era of music! 

A song that may also be familiar to you if you’re a fan of Pearl Jam is “Last Kiss.” As you can tell when you compare it to the previous song, it’s barely different chordwise from “Stand By Me.” The only difference is we now play the C chord in there!

“You Are My Sunshine” is yet another classic melody that uses the D7 guitar chord. As you can see below, the chords are all simple shapes and consist of just G – C – D7, as well as G7. 

(G – D7 – G – G7 – C – G – C – G – C – G – D7)

The Theory Behind The D7 Guitar Chord

Alright here comes the fun part (at least for me)! To understand why D7 is a part of G Major, and why G Major is used so often, we need to break down the notes of the chord and the scale it comes from: 

G major scale = G – A – B – C – D – E – F#

D7 = D – F# – A – C

As we’ve said before, the D7 guitar chord is the V of G major, and you get the V by going to the fifth note (D), and choosing every other note after (F#, A, & C). Every single major key will have a V7 chord as long as you follow the strict rules for making a major scale (W W H W W H). Hopefully this all helps you learn what is a d7 guitar chord and where it comes from. 

The most important thing to know though is that you must use the notes D – F# – A – C whenever you’re soloing over this chord or using it to create a guitar part, whether that’s in G major or any musical context that uses the D7 guitar chord. 

Another scale that you’ll use a dominant 7th chord like D7 with is the Mixolydian scale. It’s easy to remember this because you already know that D7 is the V chord. So, when you play the same set of notes above starting on the V, then you’ve got a Mixolydian scale! 

You can do this no matter whether you’re in C major, Bb major, or F# major. Every major scale will have a Mixolydian scale starting on the V. We’ll talk a little bit more about Mixolydian scales and sounds in the last section below this one……

One thing you should try to be aware of is the difference between a m7 chord and a dominant 7th chord. I’m bringing this up because the m7 chord is very similar to the dominant 7th chord except for one note, the third. Compare the notes below of Dm7 and D7: 

Dm7 = D – F – A – C 

D7 = D – F# – A – C 

So, an m7 chord is a dominant 7th chord with a minor 3rd in the chord. Got it? 

Country music usage

Before we end this article, let’s look at the genre that’ll be using this chord a lot….country! You’re going to love learning these country song chord progressions on the guitar I swear. 

The I IV V chord progression in G Major will go G – C – D. You know these chords I’m sure? Now that you know the notes in the d7 guitar chord you should know this. Go back to all that theory nonsense in the previous section and you’ll see that the IV corresponds to the C. It’ll make more sense when you look at familiar popular songs like: 

“Take It Easy” by the Eagles:

Ah looky looky, it’s those three chords again. How about we look at another country classic (yes the Eagles are country rock I know) like “I Saw The Light” by Hank Williams:

Okay, these songs are a little simple. How about a more complicated chord progression from a crazy country guitar instrumental? Maybe Brad Paisley’s “Nervous Breakdown”?

And with all of these 7th chords, you should also remember what we said about Mixolydian scales? You can use them over these chords to solo with! The chords are the key to almost everything about a song’s structure. 

The D7 guitar chord, as well as 7th chords in general, are an extremely useful tool for country music, blues music, rock music, and many genres. It takes some time to see beyond its most common shape that we talked about in the first section, but there are many rewards to take from this harmony once you get acquainted with it. 

Would you like to learn more shapes and inversions of the D7 guitar chord? Then download our Uberchord app and take a look at what you find! We also recommend this article if you’re new to guitar fingerpicking for beginners. 

The post Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The D7 Guitar Chord appeared first on Uberchord App.

In this article, we’re not only going to show you how it’s used in those genres, but also show how a certain popular scale is the basis of this type of chord. Here at Uberchord, we like to obsess over theory nonsense so that you can build your songwriting and lead guitar knowledge. The more you can learn and use the principles behind the Am7 guitar chord, for instance, the more you’ll be able to rawk! 

First, though, let’s go through some songs you actually know. It’s always a good idea to find out where chords like the Am7 guitar chord are used in real music that you love (hopefully)…..

All The Shapes Of The Am7 Guitar Chord

The Am7 shape, and its other shapes, are some of the most important you can learn to become a well-rounded guitarist and musician. Let’s take a look at a few in the image below. The most important will be the first chord with the x02010 configuration, then the 5x555x will be next. Practicing and knowing these two chords will be of great help to you right now, as a beginner/intermediate player. 

Now, let’s talk about some actual music like we promised. The chords to part of the verse of Don McLean’s American Pie are below. This song, and the next two, are all in the key of G major, which means that the Am7 guitar chord is the ii7 chord in this key. 

American Pie (g d/f# em – am7 D – g d/f# em – C D7 – G) key of G 

The next song is from the classic rendition of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” by The Fugees. Again, key of G major, but the song starts on the vi instead. Note that this is only the first four bars of the song, and the next four differ slightly from this set of chords. 

Killing Me Softly (Em7 – Am7 – D – G) key of G 

Here’s a song that most of you know for sure! This is one of the best riffs you can possibly learn the Am7 guitar chord with. Note again that this is just the chords, but the entire riff comes from these shapes. 

More Than Words (G G/B Cadd9 Am7 C D) 

Then finally we have the later part of the verse of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys. This is probably one of the best and most beautiful uses of this harmony I can show you here. This time the progression is in C major, which makes the Am7 guitar chord the vi7. 

Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Am7 C11 Am Em Dm7 G9) key of C Major

Take some time to learn these songs as they will help you learn how to get good at guitar chords like these! Another song to learn that uses this shape and others of Am7 is the sweet caroline guitar chords.

The Relationship Between The A Minor Pentatonic Scale And Am7 Guitar Chords

Now if you’re a lead guitar player like me, you may want to know how to solo over this chord, as well as use the sounds of this chord shape in your improvising. Thankfully there’s a very easy way to use this chord’s sound in a scale form. The minor pentatonic scale that you use all the time has all the chord tones of this scale, and I’ll show you how right now! 

Am7 guitar chord notes = A – C – E – G 

A minor pentatonic scale = A – C – D – E – G 

A Minor Scale = A – B – C – D – E – F – G 

The minor scale is there just for reference. So, if you take a close look at the composition of these three musical concepts, you can easily say that minor 7th chords are one of the key sounds of blues, rock, and metal music! Although you won’t be playing Am7 guitar chords throughout a thrash metal riff, the notes do imply this sort of harmony. 

This is a neat thing to mention IMO because we’re all trying to figure out the relationships between riffs, scales, chord tones, etc. to each other and little bits of knowledge help us systemize the whole thing. 

The Basics Of ii-V Changes

The ii-V change in a major key is the bedrock to lots of Jazz chord progressions, and thus the source of many pop song chord progressions too. Since you’ve seen how much the ii7 is used in G major, we figured it would be worth explaining this concept a little bit. Now Jazz can get VERY complicated so let’s just break down the G major key, as well as a few chords to layout an ii7 – V – I progression.

G Major scale (key) = G – A – B – C – D – E – F# 

Am7 (ii) = A – C – E – G

D (V) = D – F# – A 

G (I) = G – B – D 

So there you go. If you decide to get into Jazz, you’ll now know where lots of m7 to dominant 7th chord changes are coming from. Many Jazz progressions are composed of series of ii-V changes going through many keys! 

Let’s go over just one more song to explain this concept, as well as see the Am7 chord shape used in another context. Here are the chords to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” but note that this song is in A major, not G major. 

Bm7 – D – F#m7 – E

Here’s the same chord progression, but lower down the neck, and using the Am7 guitar chord shape……

Lots of funk and R&B riffs make use of the ii-V, as well as the chords in the Dorian mode, to make riffs like this one. You may already know how often the Dorian mode is used in Jazz. So to tie this all together, let’s break down the B Dorian Mode: 

B Dorian Mode = B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A 

A Major (B starts on ii)  = A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G#

Bm7 = B – D – F# 

D = D – F# – A 

F#m7 = F# – A – C# – E

E = E – G# – B 

I know this may be a random jumble of notes and letters to you right now if you don’t know much about the key of am guitar. Theory is not the easiest subject to teach to a guitar player, and it’s hard to see how this makes you a better player if you’re just starting out. This whole discussion has been to show you 1) the shapes of the Am7 guitar chord 2) an easy scale you already know that makes the sound of this chord and 3) how it’s the source of an entire genre and many funk riffs you know. 

This video is another great resource on the am7 guitar chord:

Any questions about this material? Then please leave a comment down below! 

The post Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The Am7 Guitar Chord appeared first on Uberchord App.

The shape of the B7 guitar chord is one that will be pretty new to you if you’re just getting the hang of the basic chords like G – C – D, which we talked about a lot in our article on the D7 guitar chord. This shape in open position is challenging because you’re using your pinky to play the F# on the high E string. You can also find the notes in the B7 guitar chord by taking a close look at the key of E major. Take a look at our chart below to check it out…..

Some shapes you may already know, and others you may be all double u tee eff (I’m saying something else). It’s all good though as we’re about to go over several examples of the B7 guitar chord shape’s use in some songs you already know……

Some Popular Songs That Use The B7 Guitar Chord Shape

If you’re a big fan of AC/DC then you may have taken a listen to their older albums like the legendary “Let There Be Rock.” This album is chock full of great riffs that really highlights the band at their very best IMO so check it out if you never have before. There is one song on this album that uses the B7 guitar chord shape specifically, and that’s the song “Overdose.” 

AC/DC’s overdose riff (B7 to E): 

This riff is a perfect intro to the B7 guitar chord, as well as the next one. More than likely you’ve been bludgeoned to death by this song already in your life, but it’s a great song to practice this chord as well as your basic blues progression. This song is “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley: 

Heartbreak Hotel (E A7 B7)

There are more ways to play the B7 guitar chord than just X21202. You can play it using the shape X24242 as well, which is easier if you’re familiar with playing barre chords. This shape in particular figures prominently in another classic song, although it doesn’t use B7 explicitly but C7 (a half step away):

Hey Jude (F C C7 F Bb F) 

Again, although it’s not using the B7 chord specifically, it is using the same shape. What helps a lot of beginner-intermediate players is to have plenty of shapes to use whenever you’re learning a new song. That way, if you see a song call for an E7 or Bb7, you can go to the appropriate position on the neck and play that shape. It’s a huge help whenever you’re playing or soloing over blues progression like this one here: 

Sweet Home Chicago ( E7 A7 E7 B7 A7 E7)

This Robert Johnson song has been covered by many many people, but the progression and structure never changes! When you’ve memorized and ingrained the B7 guitar chord shape in your mind, you’ll be able to play lots of blues songs. That’s the magic of learning shapes like this one! Many other songs that use the b7 guitar chord shape can be found here. 

The B7 Guitar Chord In The Key Of E Major

Message In A Bottle (C#sus2 Asus2 Bsus2 F#sus2) key of E major

Let’s cut the suspense. This enormously popular riff by the Police doesn’t use the B7 chord explicitly. It’s obviously several sus2 shapes put together. However, these shapes were not put together randomly. They go together so well because of the composition of the key of E chords guitar. To figure out why, we must take a look at what B7 means on the guitar and where the notes come from. 

Let’s break down a few chords, as well as the scale of E major: 

E Major Scale = E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# (4 sharps) 

C#m = C# – E – G# 

A = A – C# – E 

B7 = B – D# – F# – A 

F#m = F# – A – C# 

It’ll take a longer time to explain why all these notes make up this scale and these chords. Just go with it for a moment! 

All of these chords use notes from the scale of E major. Compare them for a moment to see. So, if you didn’t feel like using the sus2 shape to play this song, you could just use the B7, for instance, instead of Bsus2. 

This is the amazing thing about guitar music theory. It’s not supposed to hinder you and make sure you’re following all of these made-up rules. It’s to allow you to see connections between notes so you can understand why they go together, and how you can reimagine these connections! 

To briefly explain the sus2 interval though, there’s just one thing you need to understand. A “sus2” interval calls for you to use the major 2nd interval somewhere on the chord. A major 2nd interval is just the note that’s a whole step above the root. So in the case of Bsus2, that’s the note C#. Over C#sus2, the major 2nd (sus2) interval will be D#, and so on and so forth. 

This Shape’s Use In Country & Blues Soloing 

As you’ve seen from the songs we’ve talked about already, the 7th chord is used quite a lot. So I want to tell you a few secrets to using this chord shape if you’re into country or blues lead guitar, and maybe have already learned some tips on guitar fingerpicking for beginners. Many times, since these progressions are in a major key context, you’ll need to highlight the minor 7th interval to make the sound of these chords. 

So you have a few options. First, you can use the mixolydian scale as a jumping-off point, as it uses a minor 7th interval. Second, you can use the B7 shape together with this scale to create licks. To understand this a little further, look at this screenshot of the B7 arpeggio together with the B7 Mixolydian scale. 

So, just by seeing these concepts put together, you should have plenty of new ways to use this shape and this scale to solo over it. However, remember what we said in the previous section about theory. It’s not a set rule that you must use the mixolydian mode/scale for every 7th chord you see. You can basically use any scale that uses the notes of B7! 

Okay so that’s a lot of theory, and I hope some of you beginners could follow my discussion of the B7 guitar chord. There are lots of depths to something as simple as a chord shape, and we here at Uberchord love to share our insights with you! If you’d like more info about playing songs like the ones we’ve talked about here, memorizing more shapes easier, and finding more ways to solo and improvise over them……then we hope you’ll check out our Uberchord app! If you need more help on how to get good at guitar chords then check out that link. 

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In this lesson, I shall be showing you simple ways to making chord progressions more interesting and diverse using simple tricks. We musicians are often confronted with writer’s block: we wish to compose something meaningful, something that makes sense. Sometimes we are left with one single, simple idea that doesn’t seem to lead anywhere. I firmly believe that music theory can help us out to get back on track and be creative.

If you’re a beginner, some of the chord names might seem daunting to you. I recommend installing Uberchord (click for download) Chord Trainer on your iOS device so as to have a quick, practical reference guide at the tip of your fingers. You will see how one simple idea can be used to create material that is fresh and interesting.

The Chord Theory

Chords are best viewed as numeric structures.

A major chord can be seen as 1-M3-5 (or 1-3-5)

A minor one would be simply 1-m3-5 (or 1-b3-5)

You can easily remember more complex, dissonant chords by viewing them as collection of numbers. A dominant ninth chord with a raised eleventh is basically 1-3-5 b7 #11. What seems like basic, simple knowledge (intervallic formulae) can greatly demystify almost any kind of chord.

As long as a chord isn’t framed in a chord progression, any given chord lacks meaning and purpose. The easiest way to lend a chord a function is to frame it within the context of a key

If you strum C major, you may end up using it to start a song in C major, or as the submediant in the key of E minor, or the dominant chord in the key of F major.

Generally, the more tension notes are contained within the chord, the more clear its function shall be. Being merely a triad, C major has only three notes in it, and as such it may lead anywhere, but a A7b9 will make your ears wait for that resolution towards a Dmaj7 or a Dmin. In that sense, this chord is more likely to show you a path to follow. This exact principle is the foundation for the ideas offered to you in this article.

More Chord Theory

One of the best things you can do for yourself as a songwriter is to get acquainted with chord progressions that are popular within certain genres of music. Just like numbers can help you learn and memorize chord formulas, you will be using numbers again to learn and differentiate between chord progressions. This time, however, Roman numerals will be used.

You probably know by now that I-IV-V is quite common in blues, while ii-V-I is very popular amongst Jazz musicians.

i-VII-VI-V is a common staple of flamenco (specially Rumba) and some Latin music.

The i-V-i turnaround is quite common in Cuban salsa and other genres of Latin music, as well as folk. A variation thereof is simpy i-iv-V-i.

A common trope of classical music until the 19th century was the progression characterized by i-iv-VII-III-VI-ii-V. Pop music producers swear by the I-V-vi-IV progression.

In electronic music you often have i-VI-iv-i…

Putting it all together

So the first step to get out of your rut is to identify what kind of progression you’ve got. You probably have a cool sequence of chords going on already. Write the chords down, and then figure out what scale degrees they can be assigned to using Roman numerals. Now we can start “decorating” or “enriching” said progression. We may do this either by substituting certain chords, or by adding color to the chords you already have.

Say you’ve got the following chord progression

Gmaj – Emin – Amin – Dmaj

This turnaround (sometimes called “harmonic circle”) is basically a I-vi-ii-V in the key of G major. It’s the basis for such hits such as Paul Anka’s “Diana” and Pearl Jam’s “Last kiss”.

Its popularity implies that this chord progression for sure works, and you can even see how it’s structure is vaguely explained by the circle of fifths. Since it works so well, perhaps too many people before you have used it, and you probably to give it your own personal touch. Here are some simple modifications you can do with it:

-Add more color to the chords by adding notes to them and changing their character:

Gmaj7 Emin7 Amin7 D9

Or

Gmaj7 Emin9 Amin7/11 D7b9

Nothing special, for now. Another thing you can do is simply replace some of the chords. This will obviously turn our I-vi-ii-V into something else, but we’ll still have four chords that will still fit to any melody you wrote for the original chord progression.

Gmaj9 Bmin7 Amin(add9) D7 (I        iii          ii         V )

Notice how Bmin7 (B D F# A) shares two common notes with the original Emin7 from a previous example (E G B D). This similarity justifies the replacement of one chord by another. Let’s see where chord replacement can take us:

Gmaj(add9) Cmaj6 Emin7/11 D9 (I IV vi V)

G B D A

C  E G A → replaced Emin (E G B)

E  G B D A → replaced Amin7 and shares three notes in common (A C E G)

D F# A C E

Also notice how all chords happen share common notes. This gives the progression cohesion and lets it flow nicely.

If you’re a beginner, some of the chord names might seem daunting to you. I recommend installing Uberchord on your mobile device so as to have a quick, practical reference guide at the tip of your fingers. I hope this lesson offered some new insight to you. I’m looking forward to share more of my ideas with you. See you next time.

Now that you have a better understanding of chord progressions you should take the time to learn how to play a few, or lean to solo over them. The Uberchord blog has lots of resources and information that can help you do just that. A few topics that we recommend starting with include amplitube app, everybody’s changing chords, and our guitar blog. 

The post Chord Progressions – How To Make Simple Chords Interesting appeared first on Uberchord App.

If you do not know, what the roman letters I, II, II means in this context you should read through our music theory post #7 to get an introduction to chord progressions.

This time we’ll be taking a look at a very simple, yet effective chord progression made up by only four chords. The chords involved are I V vi and IV in any major key. Say you’re playing in the key of A major. You’d thus have:

A E F#m D

Quite straightforward, as you see. This simple, yet effective chord progression is found in a respectable amount of songs, many of them hit singles and the like. In the following paragraphs I’ll attempt to find out why it is that this progression is so effective and useful.

Where can it be heard?

This kind of chord progression is heard not only in famous pop songs such as Green Day’s “When I come around”, James Blunt’s “You’re beautiful” and A-Ha’s “Take on me”, but also in plenty of rock and metal songs. This chord progression is noted for its simplicity and circle-like sound. Similar to other progressions such as I vi IV V or I IV V, I V vi IV conveys the sound of a cycle, one that ends with a cadence leading to the tonic chord of the key.

Why does it work?

I believe that music theory can help us figure out why certain things sound either “good” or “bad”. This is where some analysis comes into play. Perhaps the simplest feature of the chord progression in question is its “cycle-like sound”, where we start at a certain point, just to close the circle and start again. This is made possible by the plagal cadence that leads from the IV to the I.

Another peculiar quality of this progression becomes clear once we take a look at the notes that make up the triads. Following our example in A major, we’d then have the chords included in Ex. 1:

Exercise 1

I: A C# E

V: E G# B

Vi: F# A C#

IV: D F# A

Notice something?

Each pair of chords shares chord tones with the next one.

I: A C# E

V: E G# B

Vi: F# A C#

IV: D F# A

From another viewpoint, the chord progression contains the three most important chords in any major key: the tonic, the dominant and the subdominant (I, V and IV, respectively). Besides the plagal cadence at the end of it (IV I) you also have a deceptive cadence (V vi) in it.

What can I do with it?

Something that you should do with anything you learn, is to give it your own twist. As far as chord progressions go, you can either play them using different techniques, or improvise on top of them using whatever scales fit. In the following paragraphs I’ll show you easy ways to make a simple chord progression sound different by simply adding tension notes to the chords involved.

In terms of texture and color, it’s well worth exploring what adding tension notes and substitutions have to offer. Consider that I V vi IV in A major from above and let’s see where it takes us after modifying the original chords a little. Bear in mind that, however methodic and analytical these considerations might seem to you, the more you put them into practice, the more they’ll become part of your identity as a musician.

Listen to a demonstration of all the examples recorded for this article here.

The aforementioned connection between the chords, originating from them sharing chord tones, becomes stronger if we add tension notes to every chord.

Notice how the sound of the progression instantly changes.

Exercise 2

I: A C# E G#: Amaj7

V: E G# B D: E7

Vi: F# A C# E: F#m7

IV: D F# A C#: Dmaj7

We can take it a little bit further by adding tension notes to the chords:

Exercise 3

I: A C# E G#: Amaj7

V: E G# B D F#: E9

Vi: F# A C# E: F#m7

IV: D F# A C# E: Dmaj9

Notice how the note E is contained in every chord. This could lead to some interesting sounds when using inversions.

So far I’ve shown you what can be done with our I V vi IV if we just add tension notes to the original chords. Now let’s see what happens once we start using secondary dominants.

Exercise 4

A B7 E C#7 F#m7 Dmaj7

I               V             vi                   IV

We now have a progression that sounds more interesting that the previous one. It also sounds like it has more”movement”. Strictly speaking, this is a whole new progression, but the starting point is undoubtedly the I V vi IV this article is about. Don’t forget to try inversions of the chords involved just for the sake of having more movement going on. Here’s a modification of the chord progression above:

Exercise 5

A B9 E C#alt F#m7   Dmaj7 Bb7

I               V             vi                          IV

This modification sounds kind of jazzy thanks to the altered chord and the tritone substitution leading back to the tonic. Notice how many things you can do if you take four chords as your starting point. At times, having a simple basis to start with is the best way to create more complex-sounding stuff. This is something I’ll be demonstrating next time.

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