E Dominant Seventh Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
E Dominant Seventh Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: E, G#, B, D
Intervals: 1P, 3M, 5P, 7m
Formula: 2W-WH-WH
Number of notes: 4
Also known as: 7, dom
The E Dominant Seventh arpeggio contains 4 notes (E, G#, B, D). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the E Dominant Seventh Arpeggio
Play the E Dominant Seventh arpeggio whenever a E Dominant Seventh chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The E Dominant Seventh arpeggio uses 4 notes (E, G#, B, D) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play E Dominant Seventh Arpeggio on Guitar
Start the E Dominant Seventh arpeggio in open position, using the open E string as your root. This 4-note arpeggio (E, G#, B, D) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.
The E Dominant Seventh arpeggio outlines a dominant seventh chord, creating the tension that wants to resolve. Use it over E7, E9, E13 chords, especially in blues, funk, and jazz where dominant harmony drives the groove.
Practice Routine
Play the E Dominant Seventh arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on E. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 4 notes (E, G#, B, D). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the E Dominant Seventh arpeggio using sweep picking across all six strings. Start with downstrokes ascending and upstrokes descending at a slow tempo, keeping each note separated rather than blurred. Mute unused strings with your fretting hand to keep the sound clean.
Related Resources
Explore E Dominant Seventh in Other Tunings
- E Dominant Seventh in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Dominant Seventh in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- E Dominant Seventh in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- E Dominant Seventh in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- E Dominant Seventh in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- E Dominant Seventh in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- E Dominant Seventh in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- E Dominant Seventh in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- E Dominant Seventh in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- E Dominant Seventh in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- E Dominant Seventh in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- E Dominant Seventh in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- E Dominant Seventh in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Dominant Seventh in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)