A7 cavaquinho chord
A7 (A seventh) is built from A, C#, E and G, the degrees 1–3–5–b7. On cavaquinho, the main shape is 2 2 2 5, the first diagram, marked with the star.
A doorbell ringing with nobody answering. A phone buzzing face-down on the table. Some things only exist to be resolved — A7 is their musical version. Press play down there and feel the unfinished business.
Hear A7 before you play
Why A7 sounds this way
Why does it sound unfinished? Inside A7, two notes are arguing: C# and G. Go back to the audio and catch the arpeggio note by note and catch the second and the last note — the distance between them is the tritone, one of the tensest intervals in tonal music. A and E keep the house standing while those two argue inside it. And an argument, you know, demands a resolution.
How to play A7 on cavaquinho
On the cavaquinho, four steel strings tuned D–G–B–D pack the chord into a small, bright space — every finger counts. So grab the first position below; it's the main shape — that's why it carries the ⭐. Now the experiment that explains this chord better than any explanation: play A7, let it ring a moment, then play D. Felt the door close? Do it again. That relief is the dominant's job.
In the app: 12 A7 shapes on cavaquinho
With the fingering and audio of each one, free. In the app, the arpeggio of each shape is part of Pro.
Precision Tuner: Get in tune before you play: chromatic tuner and reference tones, free in standard tuning · open in Chord and Fret
Save the positions below for when the blues calls: over there, this chord is the house language.
Left-handed? Mirror's right here
A7 notes and degrees
A7 stacks the root A, the major third C#, the perfect fifth E and the minor seventh G.
Where A7 shows up
Its most common job is the dominant, and dominants live as VII7 in B minor, V7 in D major. Translation: wherever it shows up, the music is usually about to move. In the blues, though, A7 can also be the home chord. A chart full of 7th chords is a song that won't sit still.
Transpose & Capo: Need it in another key? Transpose the progression for free; finding the best capo is part of Pro · use it in Chord and Fret
Identify Chord: Found a shape on your fretboard? Mark it on the screen and the app names the chord, 5 times a day for free · try it in Chord and Fret
Where A7 usually goes
When A7 works as the dominant of D, it tends to resolve to D or DmDmDmDm. In other contexts the sequence changes: in the blues, A7 can be the home chord itself. It's a tendency, not a law.
Going beyond A7
For soloing, A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G · 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7: the major scale with a lowered seventh — the blues accent); A Lydian dominant (A B C# D# E F# G · 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7: a mixolydian with a raised fourth: the dominant in formalwear) cover the whole chord. And look at the first swap on the list below: that's the famous tritone substitution, the twin dominant living three whole steps from here, the one arrangers reach for when they want to arrive at the same place by a prettier road.
A Mixolydian
In the app: the 7 positions of A Mixolydian on cavaquinho
With degree, note and finger labels on each one, free. Playing the whole scale is part of Pro.
The same A Mixolydian in its main shapes along the neck — pick whichever position sits under your hand. The rings mark the guide notes (the 3rd and 7th) that carry this chord's color.
Scale: The scale's positions across the neck, with degree, note and finger labels, free; playing the scale and the tempo-ramp exercise are part of Pro · see it in Chord and Fret
Scales to improvise over A7
The A Mixolydian scale is a common choice over A7: no chord tone is left out of it. The best fit depends on the key, the surrounding chords and the tensions you want. When A7 moves to D, its third, C#, is the leading tone of D: the note that wants to rise a half step.
Swaps that work:
- Eb7Eb7Eb7Eb7 — Tritone substitution (shared 3rd–7th tritone)
- Em7Em7Em7Em7 — Forms a II–V: precede with this ii
- Bbdim7 — Passing diminished (ascending)
Reharmonize: Want richer substitutions? Reharmonize's Subtle and Medium levels are free; Bold and Jazz are part of Pro · see it in Chord and Fret
You already know how this sentence usually ends. As a dominant, the period after A7 is D — go there and close it with your own fingers.
A7 chord questions
What notes are in the A7 chord?
The A7 chord is made of the notes A, C#, E and G.
How do you play A7 on cavaquinho?
Form the shape from string 4 to string 1: 2 2 2 5. The shape starts at fret 2.
What chord comes after A7?
When A7 works as the dominant of D, it tends to resolve to D or Dm. In other contexts the sequence changes: in the blues, A7 can be the home chord itself.
What scale works over A7?
The A Mixolydian scale is a common choice over A7: no chord tone is left out of it. The best fit depends on the key, the surrounding chords and the tensions you want.