E to B7 chord change
Your middle finger stays down; your index finger and ring finger move across to another string on the same fret; your little finger goes down fresh. Your strumming hand changes too: E uses all six strings, B7 starts on the A string.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. o means play the string open, ✕ means don’t play it.
Why this change matters
In the key of E, B7 is the V7 chord that leads home to E, as in the turnaround of a 12-bar blues in E.
E to B7 is one of the easier changes, helped by the middle finger that stays put. Going back from B7 to E, make the same moves in reverse: the middle finger still stays put.
Finger by finger
- Moves across, same fretIndex finger (1) moves across from the G string to the D string, staying on the 1st fret.
- Stays putMiddle finger (2) stays put on the A string, 2nd fret.
- Moves across, same fretRing finger (3) moves across from the D string to the G string, staying on the 2nd fret.
- Goes downLittle finger (4) goes down on the high e string, 2nd fret.
| Finger | On E | On B7 | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Index finger (1) | G string, 1st fret | D string, 1st fret | Moves across, same fret |
| Middle finger (2) | A string, 2nd fret | A string, 2nd fret | Stays put |
| Ring finger (3) | D string, 2nd fret | G string, 2nd fret | Moves across, same fret |
| Little finger (4) | not used | high e string, 2nd fret | Goes down |
How to practise E to B7
- Play E and pick each string on its own. Fix any string that buzzes before you start changing.
- Find your anchor: keep the middle finger pressed down the whole time. It holds your hand in place, so the other fingers only have a short trip.
- Lead with the index finger: it has the furthest to go (to the D string, 1st fret). Aim it first and let the other fingers follow.
- Do “ghost changes”: switch from E to B7 and back 20 times without strumming. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, and land them all together.
- Now strum: four strums on E, four on B7. When that is clean, try two strums each, then one.
- Time yourself with the trainer below: one minute, counting every clean change. Do it once a day and watch the number climb.
One-minute E to B7 trainer
Press Start, hold E through the count-in, then change back and forth for one minute. Tap the big button (or press the space bar) every time you land a clean chord. Your best score is kept.
Want other chords? Open the full chord change trainer.
Songs to use it in
None of the songs in our free library change straight from E to B7 yet, but these use B7, so the shape will come in handy.
E to B7: questions
Which finger stays down when you change from E to B7?
Your middle finger stays on the same spot in both chords, so it anchors your hand while the other fingers move.
How do I change from E to B7 faster?
Practise the change on its own, not inside a song. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, land them all at once, and lead with the finger that has the longest trip. Then do one minute of changes a day with a timer and count them.
How many E to B7 changes a minute is good?
Count every clean change: E to B7 is one, and back again is two. Around 30 in a minute is a solid start and enough for slow songs. At 40 most songs at a relaxed tempo start to flow, and at about 60 (one change a second) the change is ready for almost anything.
What songs use E and B7?
In the key of E, B7 is the V7 chord that leads home to E, as in the turnaround of a 12-bar blues in E.
Is B7 to E the same as E to B7?
It uses the same moves in reverse, and the middle finger still stays put. Practise both directions: the trainer counts each switch either way.
More chord changes
Learn the chords in the right order
Fretwork’s lessons teach one chord at a time, with a ring test and a one-minute change check before you move on. The first two stages are free.