C7 cavaquinho chord
C7 (C seventh) is built from C, E, G and Bb, the degrees 1–3–5–b7. On cavaquinho, the main shape is 2 3 1 2, the first diagram, marked with the star.
Say this out loud: "one, two..." — and stop right there. Uncomfortable, isn't it? The sentence is hanging. That discomfort has a sound: C7 is a sentence without a period. Press play down there.
Hear C7 before you play
Why C7 sounds this way
Why does it sound unfinished? Inside C7, two notes are arguing: E and A#. Play the arpeggio again, no rush and catch the second and the last note — the distance between them is the tritone, one of the tensest intervals in tonal music. C and G keep the house standing while those two argue inside it. And an argument, you know, demands a resolution.
How to play C7 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 C7, hold it for one breath, then play F. Felt the door close? Do it again. That relief is the dominant's job.
In the app: 11 C7 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 · see it in Chord and Fret
The other positions earn their keep in blues and jazz, where this chord is practically the official language; learn them one at a time.
Left-handed? Mirror's right here
C7 notes and degrees
C7 stacks the root C, the major third E, the perfect fifth G and the minor seventh Bb.
Where C7 shows up
Its most common job is the dominant, and dominants live as VII7 in D minor, V7 in F major. Plainly: where it enters, the song is usually about to leave the room. In the blues, though, C7 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 · try 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 · use it in Chord and Fret
Where C7 usually goes
When C7 works as the dominant of F, it tends to resolve to F or FmFmFmFm. In other contexts the sequence changes: in the blues, C7 can be the home chord itself. It's a tendency, not a law.
Going beyond C7
For soloing, C Mixolydian (C D E F G A Bb · 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7: the major scale with a lowered seventh — the blues accent); C Lydian dominant (C D E F# G A Bb · 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.
C Mixolydian
In the app: the 7 positions of C Mixolydian on cavaquinho
With degree, note and finger labels on each one, free. Playing the whole scale is part of Pro.
The same C 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 · try it in Chord and Fret
Scales to improvise over C7
The C Mixolydian scale is a common choice over C7: no chord tone is left out of it. The best fit depends on the key, the surrounding chords and the tensions you want. When C7 moves to F, its third, E, is the leading tone of F: the note that wants to rise a half step.
Swaps that work:
- Gb7Gb7Gb7Gb7 — Tritone substitution (shared 3rd–7th tritone)
- Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7 — Forms a II–V: precede with this ii
- Dbdim7 — Passing diminished (ascending)
Reharmonize: Want richer substitutions? Reharmonize's Subtle and Medium levels are free; Bold and Jazz are part of Pro · open in Chord and Fret
You already know how this sentence usually ends. As a dominant, the period after C7 is F — go there and close it with your own fingers.
C7 chord questions
What notes are in the C7 chord?
The C7 chord is made of the notes C, E, G and Bb.
How do you play C7 on cavaquinho?
Form the shape from string 4 to string 1: 2 3 1 2.
What chord comes after C7?
When C7 works as the dominant of F, it tends to resolve to F or Fm. In other contexts the sequence changes: in the blues, C7 can be the home chord itself.
What scale works over C7?
The C Mixolydian scale is a common choice over C7: no chord tone is left out of it. The best fit depends on the key, the surrounding chords and the tensions you want.