C7 5-string bass chord

How to play C7 on 5-string bass

The most common way, the first shape above: your middle finger on the E string at the 8th fret, your index finger on the A string at the 7th fret, your ring finger on the D string at the 8th fret and your little finger on the G string at the 9th fret. Don’t play the B string.

From the B string x 8 7 8 9 (x: not played, 0: open)

What notes are in C7?

C7, C dominant seventh, is C, E, G and B♭: the root (C), the major third (E), the perfect fifth (G) and the minor seventh (B♭). Its formula is 1 3 5 ♭7.

Are C7 and Cmaj7 the same?

No. Both add a seventh to C, but C7 adds the minor seventh, B♭, and Cmaj7 the major seventh, B. C7 sounds restless and wants to move on; Cmaj7 sounds settled and dreamy.

Can I play C instead of C7?

Usually, yes: the song still works, with less pull. C7 is a dominant seventh, the V7 of F major, and its E and B♭ lead straight into F.

Keys with C7

C7 is the V7 chord in F major and the VII7 chord in D minor, and the V7 of F minor, the major fifth chord from its harmonic minor scale.