B7 (B7)

Four fingers, yet one of the first chords you learn: B7 is the V chord in the key of E minor, the chord you hear right before landing back on Em.

It’s played in open position, near the nut, and as a barre chord higher up the neck. It pulls toward E major: you hear it right before the return home in songs in E major, and all over the blues.

Notes:: B, D♯, F♯, A.
Formula:: 1, 3, 5, ♭7.
Difficulty:: Beginner.
Strings played:: 5 (from the A string).

Chord diagram

e|--2--|
B|--0--|
G|--2--|
D|--1--|
A|--2--|
E|--x--|

Other positions

e|--2--|
B|--4--|
G|--2--|
D|--4--|
A|--2--|
E|--x--|

e|--7--|
B|--7--|
G|--8--|
D|--7--|
A|--9--|
E|--7--|

Common mistakes

Open B string muted? Your ring finger on the G string, or your pinky on the high E, is touching it. Arch them.

Sounds heavy? You’re strumming the low E. Start on the A string.

Variations

The A-shape barre chord at the 2nd fret gives you another version of B7 (see the other positions).

Heard in

Em, Am, B7, Em: the typical cadence in the key of E minor. In a blues in E: E7, A7, B7.

Often played with

The chords in its key, the ones you hear most often around B7.

e|--0--|
B|--0--|
G|--1--|
D|--2--|
A|--2--|
E|--0--|

E majorresolution

e|--0--|
B|--2--|
G|--2--|
D|--2--|
A|--0--|
E|--x--|

A majorIV of the key

e|--2--|
B|--2--|
G|--2--|
D|--4--|
A|--4--|
E|--2--|

F♯ minorii of the key