Chords
Major seventh chord
A major seventh chord (maj7) is a major triad with a major seventh added, a semitone below the octave: Cmaj7 = C E G B.
What is a major seventh chord?
The maj7 chord is the seventh chord with the formula 1 3 5 7: a major chord plus a major seventh, 11 semitones above the root, just a semitone short of the octave. Cmaj7 = C E G B, Fmaj7 = F A C E, Gmaj7 = G B D F♯.
Symbols: maj7, M7, Δ or Δ7. It sounds soft, bright and slightly dreamy: the signature colour of bossa nova, soul and countless ballads.
Tip: Cmaj7 contains an Em triad (E G B) on top of C. That is why Em/C sounds like Cmaj7.
How do you play a major seventh chord on guitar?
Open shapes, from low E to high E:
| Chord | Shape | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cmaj7 | x32000 | C E G B E |
| Fmaj7 | xx3210 | F A C E |
| Amaj7 | x02120 | A E G♯ C♯ E |
| Dmaj7 | xx0222 | D A C♯ F♯ |
| Gmaj7 | 320002 | G B D G B F♯ |
| Emaj7 | 021100 | E B D♯ G♯ B E |
Movable shapes: root on the 5th string, Cmaj7 = x3545x; root on the 6th string, Gmaj7 = 3x443x. These are voicings with no doubled notes, so every string counts.
Where does the maj7 chord appear in a key?
Among the four-note diatonic chords of a major key, two are maj7: Imaj7 and IVmaj7. In C: Cmaj7 and Fmaj7. In G: Gmaj7 and Cmaj7. In D: Dmaj7 and Gmaj7.
The maj7 is also where the jazz ii-V-I lands: Dm7, G7, Cmaj7. The V chord, on the other hand, is never maj7 in a major key: it is a 7.
Exercise: a Cmaj7 to Fmaj7 vamp
Alternate Cmaj7 x32000 and Fmaj7 xx3210, two bars each, with a light bossa feel (bass on beats 1 and 3, chord on the offbeats). The shape simply shifts over by one string (ring and middle fingers), then your index adds the 1st fret of the 2nd string.
Then play C x32010 followed by Cmaj7 x32000: lifting your index finger off the 2nd string turns the note C into B. Listen to how the chord opens up. To check a voicing you come up with yourself, the chord identifier names it from its notes.
Common mistakes with maj7 chords
- Mixing up maj7 and 7: C7 contains B♭, Cmaj7 contains B. On a chart, "C7" never means Cmaj7.
- Putting the root a semitone above the seventh: a high C right above the B creates a minor second (or minor ninth) rub that makes the chord harsh. Keep the seventh on top, or the root in the bass.
- Playing maj7 on the V chord: in C, Gmaj7 contains F♯, which is outside the key.
Key takeaways
- Formula: 1 3 5 7, the seventh a semitone below the octave.
- Symbols: maj7, M7, Δ.
- Degrees I and IV of a major key (Cmaj7, Fmaj7 in C).
- Core shapes: Cmaj7
x32000, Fmaj7xx3210, movablex3545x.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Cmaj7 and C7?
The seventh: B in Cmaj7 (major seventh), B♭ in C7 (minor seventh). Cmaj7 is stable and at rest, while C7 is tense and wants to move to F.
What does the triangle Δ mean on a chord chart?
Δ is shorthand for maj7, mostly on jazz charts: CΔ or CΔ7 = Cmaj7 = C E G B. A Δ followed by 9 (CΔ9) adds the ninth, D.
What scale do you play over a maj7 chord?
Over Imaj7, the major scale of the key (C Ionian over Cmaj7). Over IVmaj7, the Lydian mode fits better: over Fmaj7 in C, F G A B C D E, with B (♯4) instead of B♭.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.