How to Play the B7 Chord (Technique, Variations and Exercises)

[Acoustic Guitar Chords] > How to Play the B7 Chord (Technique, Variations and Exercises)

Learning the essential chords as a new guitar player can be a very rewarding experience. With each new chord learned, you’re adding another tool to your guitar-playing toolkit, and getting that much closer to mastering this beautiful instrument. 

Not only that, but you’re starting to learn to distinguish between chords, transition between them, and identify them in some of your favorite songs.

Today we continue on the chord-learning journey. In this guide, I’ll help you discover what exactly the B7 chord is, different variations you can play, the correct finger positioning to pull it off, and easy exercises that you can practice.

Ready? Let’s get started!

What Is the B7 Chord?

The B7 chord, also known as the B dominant 7th, consists of the notes B, D#, F#, and A. It’s very similar to the B chord but with an additional seventh note. 

It has a distinctive and melodic sound. If you intend to dabble in country, folk or blues music, the B7 chord is for you, as it’s popularly used in all of those genres.

But why exactly is it called the B7 chord? 

It’s because seventh chords are similar to triads but with an added seventh note – this gives them a full and rich sound.

In the chord diagram below, you can see exactly how the B7 chord looks. 

Since we’ll be using a lot of chord diagrams to guide us through some popular variations, I recommend checking out this article chord diagrams if you haven’t already done so.

How to Play the B7 Chord on the Guitar

Now we have the chord diagram, the notes, some background info, but how do we actually play the B7 chord on guitar?

There you have it! You’re playing the B7 chord! 

B7 (B Dom) Chord Variations

As with all guitar chords, there are multiple ways to play the B7 chord. It might seem like there are too many options, but actually this works in your favor!

The more variations there are, the more likely you are to find one that suits your style of playing and your strengths – be it a strong pinky finger or a wide finger span. 

Open B7 chord – 3 Finger Variation

If you found the above version a bit challenging, let’s take a step back. 

This open B7 chord only requires three fingers, instead of four. And although it’s not considered the official B7 chord because it’s lacking a note, it is a great place to start for beginner players. 

Using the diagram above, here’s how to position your fingers:

1. Index finger on the 1st fret of the D string
2. Middle finger on the 2nd fret of the A string
3. Ring finger on the 2nd fret of the G string

Once your fingers are set firmly in place, play the three middle strings and omit both the high and low E strings. 

Better, right? Now as you’ve probably already guessed, this version is a great way to slowly build to the classic open B7 chord. Strengthen that pinky finger and you’ll be there in no time. 

B7 Chord – Barre Variation

Next is a slightly more advanced version, the barre chord variation. 

Barre chords are sometimes difficult to grasp for beginners. They tend to be more demanding on the index finger as you have to hold down multiple strings on a single fret. But as always, with a bit of practice, you’ll get used to the positioning in no time.

Here’s how to play B7 chord barre variation:

1. Place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the A string and barre all strings except the low E string.
2. Place your ring finger on the 4th fret of the D string.
3. Place your pinky finger on the 4th fret of the B string.

Once all your fingers are in place, strum all strings except the low E string. 

Feels a bit weird, right? But trust me, the more you attempt these unusual shapes, the more natural it will start to feel.

B7 Chord Finger Positioning Tips

Before we get into the variations, an important thing to note is your finger positioning. This is what will set you up for success and help you know exactly where and how to place your fingers when forming the chord. 

Here are a couple of things to note:

• Precision. Ensure your fingers are in the right position and pressed firmly down. If not, you run the risk of a muted note or fret buzz.
• Arch your fingers. Make sure you have an arch in your finger joints. This ensures a clean and crisp sound and avoids accidentally touching any other strings.
• A strong thumb: While all your fingers are doing lots of the work, your thumb shouldn’t be completely idle! Gently press it into the back of the guitar neck for added stability.

B7 Chord Exercises

Practice, so the saying goes, makes perfect. So let’s get down to some practice.

For specifically practicing the B7 chord, it’s best to drill the above three variations over and over. This way you’ll strengthen your fingers and ensure that each position is executed precisely.

One of my favorite exercises for learning new guitar chords is also the simplest:

• Using your fretting hand, form an B7 chord
• Strum down four times
• Release the chord
• Strum down four more times on the open the strings
• Rinse and repeat

Aside from this exercise, I often recommend practicing switching between chords quickly to get a feel for the way they transition between one another. Once you’ve made your way through a few of the chord guides, you’ll know quite a few chords that you can switch between.

B7 Chord, Check! What’s Next?

Now that you’re more familiar with the B7 chord, you might want to turn your attention to something a bit more challenging.

If you want to take your guitar routine to the next level with consistent, fun exercises and a whole bunch of video lessons, I recommend checking out my online guitar workshop – Tony’s Acoustic Challenge.

It uses this weird, kinda backwards method that I pioneered that I guarantee will take you from guitar dabbler to guitar hero FAST, enjoying every lesson along the way.

Watch this FREE guitar class for three secrets to learn guitar faster in just 10 minutes a day.