How to Play Seven Chord Arpeggios on the Electric Guitar

A seven chord is a triad of three notes plus a seventh interval in that chord's key. It was originally introduced to Western music as being separate from the chord until audiences became accustomed to the dissonance of these chords. The following steps will show how to play seven chord arpeggios on the electric guitar.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Study how a seven chord is constructed. When unqualified, a seven chord usually refers to the dominant seven chord which consists of the major triad of the dominant (fifth) note plus the seventh note in that chord's key starting with the dominant note.

2. Look at this example in the key of C. The major scale in C is C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C. The dominant note in this scale is G and the major triad is the first, third and fifth notes, which in the key of G is G, B and D.

3. Add the seventh note to the chord formed in Step 2 starting with the dominant note. In the key of C this would be G(1), A(2), B(3), C(4), D(5), E(6) and F(7). The dominant seventh chord in C is therefore G, B, D and F.

4. Observe how the major seven chord relates to the dominant seven chord. The major seven chord would the major triad (notes 1, 3 and 5) and the seventh note in the major scale.

5. Consider the G major seven chord specifically. This would be G, B, D and Gb. The dominant seven chord is therefore the first, third, fifth and flatted seventh note of the major scale.