chords

There are many, many ways to play 7th chords! I assume you mean dominant chords (i.e.: G7, C7, etc.). Here are three easy ways:

G7
3X34XX or a little bit more complicated 3X343XX

C7
X323XX

C7
X35353

C7 D7 E7 F7 G7 A7 B7
|-0--2--0--1--1--0--2--|
|-1--1--0--1--0--2--0--|
|-3--2--1--2--0--0--2--|
|-2--0--0--1--0--2--1--|
|-3--X--2--3--2--0--2--|
|-X--X--0--1--3--X--X--|

Fender has a SRV style blues lesson that uses
E7 022130
A7 x02223

Yep, they are alternatives.

Actually Biker-Jim the voicing you provided for the E7 is not an alternative perse; it has an added note for flavour (C#) so the chord should be spelled: E7(13) or E7add13 . You can indeed use this chord as an alternative for E7 in a Blues progression or sometimes even in a (major) V - I (E7 - A) but it is better not to use it in a minor V - I (E7 - Am).

Biker-Jim's diagrams look fine ot me. Maybe he changed them after you posted.

A :-)

Haha, no! My mistake I read:

020120 , which is completely different I know, I am crazy apparently!

Sorry!

I was browsing some lessons on wholenote on strumming, and I came upon 7th chords. How do you play these? My fingers were so contorted, i had to use my pick hand to get my fret hand in the right places. How do you play these without tying your fingers into a knot?

i just read this a week after you posted...sorry i'm late. but i don't think these guys are answering your question. you know what notes to play but your having a hard time playing them because it's uncomfortable? (tying your fingers into a knot) hand cramps maybe? or just having a hard time getting use to it?

i remember when i was learning barre chords i'd get hand cramps bad...but if you practice it everyday it'll stop cramping. same advice for getting use to it. practice, practice, practice.

i know from other posts that you dig the blues. 7th chords are a big part of playing blues so keep at it... :D

Yep, they are alternatives.
I wasn't saying yours were wrong, I use your posted versions of E7 and A7, I had just been trying the exercise mentioned so thought I'd share the alternatives as they are the regular chord with some pinky added

I was just agreeing with you. 8)

Fender has a SRV style blues lesson that uses
E7 022130
A7 x02223As GB says, they are alternatives. If you mix them and double up the note that makes it what it is, you get a stronger effect. You can vary the two strengths for a little extra 'polish' on a song. I like to start with the single 7th note version, then for the last couple of beats add in the extra note, especially for turnarounds from the V to the I. IE, on the A7 in the key of D:

-0---0-0---3-3-3-2-
-2---2-2---2-2-2-3-
-0---0-0---0-0-0-2-
-2---2-2---2-2-2-0-
-0---0-0---0-0-0---
-------------------