Ready to start learning the G7 chord? Good! Even though it may not be considered an everyday guitar chord, it is still a valuable one for all guitarists to have under their belts.
Besides that, the G7 chord is probably one of the most common of all the 7th chords that you will encounter in your guitar playing.
So in this lesson, I'm going to show you a couple of variations of this chord that you can choose from to see which one suits you best.
The Easier Version
The easier version uses just a single finger. All you do is play the 1st string 1st fret with your index finger. Then strum the first 4 strings. That's it! Just make sure you don't hit the 5th or 6th strings.
This is a good version if you need to play a G7 chord today. But if you want a fuller, more useful G7 chord, keep reading.
The Harder Version
This version starts as the easier version. Except on this one you'll play the bottom two strings. So place your index finger on the 1st string 1st fret like the easier version.
Next, put your middle finger on the 5th string 2nd fret. Lastly, put your ring finger on the 6th string 3rd fret. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings are still open.
This should be quite a stretch! One thing that will help is your thumb positioning. Make sure its behind the neck.
Try to adjust it to find a more comfortable spot that lets you make the chord. It'll be different for everyone, but start near the middle of the back of the neck.
Your wrist should be sore or feeling weird. Make sure your elbow is kind of tucked and not flared out.
Practicing The G7 Chord
Form the chord and then drop your hand to your side. Then count to 5 and form the chord again. It'll be a little tough.
Strum the chord just to make sure you play it cleanly. Do that for a little bit until you can get that chord pretty good.
Then count to 4, strum the chord, and put your hand down at your side.
Count to 4 again, and so on. Then count to 3, 2, and 1 until you can play the chord whenever you need to.
Another way to practice the G7 chord is to practice it with another chord. The C chord often goes with G so let's do that.
Start by playing a G7 for a measure or two, then play the Folk style C chord (see below).
"Folk Style" C Chord
It's a pretty convenient transition. Your ring and middle fingers each move up a string, and your index finger moves down a string.
Play G7 to C, and C to G7. Spend maybe 3-5 minutes at a time playing this and move onto something else.
I'm a big fan of several shorter practice sessions in a day instead of a longer one. And as always, take it slow.
It may take a week or two to feel really comfortable with the chord. That's perfectly normal! This is a big stretch so take your time.
Last Words
What other chords would you like to learn and have a good practice plan for? Leave me a comment and let me know!