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Major 7th chords on guitar

Major 7th chords in all 12 keys.

Major 7th chords that occur together in major keys

Each pair uses the chord shapes or piano inversions with the most fingers or notes kept in place.

C major

Cmaj7 · Fmaj7

  • Cmaj7 → Fmaj7x32000 → 132210No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret down.

D major

Dmaj7 · Gmaj7

  • Dmaj7 → Gmaj7xx0222 → 320002No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.

Eb major

Ebmaj7 · Abmaj7

  • Ebmaj7 → Abmaj7xx1333 → 465544No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 3 frets up.

E major

Emaj7 · Amaj7

  • Emaj7 → Amaj7021100 → x02120No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.

F major

Fmaj7 · Bbmaj7

  • Fmaj7 → Bbmaj7132210 → x10231No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.

F# major

F#maj7 · Bmaj7

  • F#maj7 → Bmaj7243322 → x21302No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets down.

G major

Gmaj7 · Cmaj7

  • Gmaj7 → Cmaj7320002 → x32000No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.

A major

Amaj7 · Dmaj7

  • Amaj7 → Dmaj7x02120 → xx0222No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 1 fret.

Bb major

Bbmaj7 · Ebmaj7

  • Bbmaj7 → Ebmaj7x10231 → xx1333No finger stays in place; each finger moves at most 2 frets.

B major

Bmaj7 · Emaj7

  • Bmaj7 → Emaj7x21302 → 0211001 finger stays in place: index finger on the D string at fret 1.

Major 7th formula compared with nearby chord types

These A-rooted chords share their listed notes; each button plays the two chords in order.

Amaj7 and A

Amaj7: A · C# · E · G# · formula 1 · 3 · 5 · 7

A: A · C# · E · formula 1 · 3 · 5

Shared notes: A, C#, E; Drops G#.

Amaj7 and A7

Amaj7: A · C# · E · G# · formula 1 · 3 · 5 · 7

A7: A · C# · E · G · formula 1 · 3 · 5 · b7

Shared notes: A, C#, E; G# changes to G.

The intervals 1, 3, 5, and 7 give it a rich, smooth sound.

5 of the 12 major 7th chords on guitar have an easy shape (no barre, three fingers or fewer, first four frets): Emaj7, Dmaj7, Cmaj7, Gmaj7, Amaj7.

Easiest to hardest

  1. Emaj7
  2. Dmaj7
  3. Cmaj7
  4. Gmaj7
  5. Amaj7
  6. Fmaj7 (higher up the neck)
  7. Ebmaj7 (higher up the neck)
  8. Bmaj7 (higher up the neck)
  9. Bbmaj7 (higher up the neck)
  10. F#maj7 (higher up the neck)
  11. Abmaj7 (higher up the neck)
  12. C#maj7 (higher up the neck)

Other chord types: Major · Minor · 7th · Minor 7th · Sus2 · Sus4 · Add9 · Diminished · Augmented