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G 7th sharp 5 chord on guitar (G7♯5)
Also called or written G7♯5, G or G Dominant 7th ♯5
G 7th sharp 5 contains G, B, D♯, and F. The open voicing uses all six strings, with the pinky stretching to fret 3 on the 6th string.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7
- Root positionG–B–D♯–FG7♯53-2-1-0-0-1
- First inversionB–D♯–F–GG7♯5/B×-2-1-0-0-1
- Second inversionD♯–F–G–BG7♯5/D♯×-×-1-0-0-1
- Third inversionF–G–B–D♯G7♯5/F1-2-1-0-0-1
How do you play a G 7th sharp 5 chord on guitar?
G 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as 3 2 1 0 0 1: pinky finger on the low E string at fret 3, ring finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the D string at fret 1 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The G and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 4 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 3 | B (3) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (♭7) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the 6th string at fret 3 while the ring finger holds fret 2 on the 5th string, requiring a stretch.
G7♯5/B inversion · open position
G 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as × 2 1 0 0 1: ring finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the D string at fret 1 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The G and B strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 3 | B (3) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (♭7) |
G7♯5/B inversion · fret 12
G 7th sharp 5 is played at the 12th fret as × 14 13 12 12 13: barre your index finger across fret 12, pinky finger on the A string at fret 14, middle finger on the D string at fret 13 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 13. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 14 | 4 | B (3) |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 2 | D♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 12 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 1 (barre) | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 3 | F (♭7) |
G7♯5/D♯ inversion · open position
G 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as × × 1 0 0 1: index finger on the D string at fret 1 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The G and B strings ring open. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (♭7) |
G7♯5/D♯ inversion · fret 4
G 7th sharp 5 is played at the 4th fret as × 6 5 4 6 ×: ring finger on the A string at fret 6, middle finger on the D string at fret 5, index finger on the G string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 6. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 3 | D♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 2 | G (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 | B (3) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 4 | F (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
G 7th sharp 5 is built from the formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7. The augmented 5th between G and D♯ gives the chord its tense quality. Compare it with G 7th, which has a perfect 5th.
What goes wrong with G 7th sharp 5?
- Letting the pinky flatten and mute the 5th string.
- Fretting the 3rd string accidentally with the ring finger.
- Strumming too hard and causing the open strings to ring out of balance.
When to use it
G 7th sharp 5 functions as a dominant chord in C major, often resolving to C major. Its bright, tense sound suits blues and rock.
Changing to and from G 7th sharp 5
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 1st fret gives F 7th sharp 5.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps G in the bass, while the G7♯5/B inversion puts B in the bass for a smoother transition. The G7♯5/D♯ inversion places D♯ in the bass, emphasizing the augmented 5th.
Other G chords
Common questions
What is the difference between G 7th sharp 5 and G augmented?
G augmented has no 7th, so it contains only G, B, and D♯. G 7th sharp 5 adds the minor 7th F, creating a dominant sound.
Why does G 7th sharp 5 sound tense?
The augmented 5th interval between G and D♯ is dissonant. The tritone between B and F adds further instability.
Can G 7th sharp 5 be played in open position?
Yes, the open voicing uses open strings on the 3rd and 2nd strings, making it accessible but requiring careful finger placement.