A#7 Chord on Ukulele
A#7 = A# – D – F – G# (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th)
Bb7 stacks a flattened seventh, Ab, on top of the Bb major triad, and the ukulele shape spreads all four fingers across low frets to get there: index finger on the G string's first fret, middle finger reaching up to the C string's second fret, ring finger on the E string's first fret, and pinky on the A string's first fret. Three of the four notes land on the same first fret but on non-adjacent strings, with the C string's higher note sitting between them, which makes this a genuine four-finger independence exercise rather than a barre shape.
Dominant seventh chords carry an unmistakable pull toward whatever chord sits a fourth above their root, and Bb7 is no exception — it wants, almost audibly, to resolve into Eb major, making it the V7 chord in that key and a natural cadence point whenever a progression heads there. It also functions as a secondary dominant borrowed into the key of C, most often written V7/IV, briefly pointing toward F major before the progression either resolves there or continues elsewhere; this kind of borrowed dominant is a favorite way to add a moment of bluesy tension to an otherwise plain diatonic progression. Because the chord uses four separate fingers rather than a smooth barre, it has a slightly more percussive, deliberate attack than shapes that ring open strings, which actually suits its restless, unresolved harmonic function well.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Place the fingers in a fixed sequence rather than trying to drop all four at once: index finger on the G string first, since it's the lowest-pitched anchor, then pinky on the A string, then ring finger on the E string, and finally the middle finger's stretch up to the C string's second fret last, since it's the one note sitting apart from the rest. Check that the ring finger on the E string isn't accidentally deadening the open space it needs from the C string just below it. The most useful drill is resolving Bb7 straight into Eb major, since that V7-to-I motion is the chord's whole reason for existing, and getting that release to land cleanly on the beat is more valuable practice than holding the shape in isolation.
Common Progressions
- V7 – I, resolving into Eb major (Bb7 – Eb)
- V7/IV – IV, a secondary dominant in the key of C (Bb7 – F)
- ii – V7 – I, in the key of Eb (Fm – Bb7 – Eb)
- I – V7, borrowed briefly from Eb's own key center (Eb – Bb7)
FAQ
- Why does Bb7 need four separate fingers instead of a barre?
- Three of its notes share the first fret but sit on non-adjacent strings, with the C string's second-fret note sitting between them, so a flat barre can't cover all three without also catching the C string at the wrong fret.
- Where does Bb7 want to resolve?
- Into Eb major, as the V7 chord of that key — dominant seventh chords carry a strong pull toward the chord a fourth above their root, and Bb7's flattened seventh is what creates that pull.
- How is Bb7 used inside a song that's mostly in C major?
- As a secondary dominant, briefly pointing toward F major (V7 of IV) before the progression resolves there or moves on, adding a moment of bluesy tension without a full key change.
- What's the best way to build the Bb7 shape?
- Place the fingers in order rather than all at once — index on the G string, then pinky on the A string, then ring on the E string, and the middle finger's stretch to the C string last.
- How does the Bb7 shape compare to plain Bb major's fret numbers?
- The G string drops from the third fret down to the first, since adding the flattened seventh replaces the root doubled on that string with the new note, while the C, E, and A strings stay close to where they sat in Bb major.
- Why do dominant seventh chords feel so different from major or minor seventh chords?
- The flattened seventh creates a dissonant interval against the root that genuinely wants to resolve, unlike a major seventh's gentle shimmer or a minor seventh's softened edge, which is why dominant chords carry such a strong directional pull.
A#7 on other instruments: A#7 on Guitar, A#7 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.