C7 chord

C7 chord for guitar in different forms, including open and barre chords.

C7

The most common way to play the chord. Avoid playing on the 6th string. C7 is a four-note chord consisting of C, E, G, Bb (G is sometimes omitted).

Alternative shapes

C7 barre

C7

Relevant chords

C7sus4

C7#9

Theory and information

Try in a chord progression

Dm7 - C7 - Bb - F (see with diagrams in pdf)

Chord names

C7 is a dominant chord. C7/E, C7/G and C7/Bb are inversions of the chord.

Notes in the chord

The notes that the C7 chord consists of are C, E, G, Bb.
To get C9 add D.
To get Cmaj7 replace Bb with B.

Intervals

The C seventh is constructed with the formula 1-3-5-b7. The 5th is sometimes omitted as in the pictured version below:

Inversions

1st inversion: C7/E (means that E is the bass note).
2nd inversion: C7/G (means that G is the bass note).
3rd inversion: C7/Bb (means that Bb is the bass note).
Diagrams of these inversions

Omissions

C7 (no3) is a C dominant 7th with no third (E).
C7 (no5) is a C dominant 7th with no fifth (G).

Assorted slash chords

Versions with alternate bass notes in short notation:

C7/F: 112010
C7/A: X02310

Alternative chord names

C7/D is theoretically identical with C9/D.

Written in tab format (main version in open position)

- 0 -
- 1 -
- 3 -
- 2 -
- 3 -
- - -

Back to 7th chords