Amaj7 chord (A major seventh) on bass
Amaj7 (A major seventh) has four notes: A, C sharp, E and G sharp. Its formula is 1, 3, 5, 7. In major keys, Amaj7 is the Imaj7 chord in A major and the IVmaj7 in E major.
How to play Amaj7 on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 2 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 2 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 2 on D, 2 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 3 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | Amaj7 |
|---|---|
| Also written | AM7, AΔ7, AΔ |
| Notes | A C# E G# |
| Formula | 1 3 5 7 |
| Intervals | root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh |
| Type | Major seventh chord |
Amaj7 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 0 E (5), fret 4 G# (7), fret 5 A (1), fret 9 C# (3), fret 12 E (5), fret 16 G# (7), fret 17 A (1), fret 21 C# (3), fret 24 E (5).
- A string: fret 0 A (1), fret 4 C# (3), fret 7 E (5), fret 11 G# (7), fret 12 A (1), fret 16 C# (3), fret 19 E (5), fret 23 G# (7), fret 24 A (1).
- D string: fret 2 E (5), fret 6 G# (7), fret 7 A (1), fret 11 C# (3), fret 14 E (5), fret 18 G# (7), fret 19 A (1), fret 23 C# (3).
- G string: fret 1 G# (7), fret 2 A (1), fret 6 C# (3), fret 9 E (5), fret 13 G# (7), fret 14 A (1), fret 18 C# (3), fret 21 E (5).
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Questions
What notes are in the Amaj7 chord?
Amaj7 (A major seventh) has four notes: A, C sharp, E and G sharp. Its formula is 1, 3, 5, 7. A is the root, C# is the major third, E is the perfect fifth and G# is the major seventh.
How do you play Amaj7 on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 10th: 1 10, root on the E string, fret 17. Fingers: 1 on E, 2 on G.
What key is Amaj7 in?
In major keys, Amaj7 is the Imaj7 chord in A major and the IVmaj7 in E major. It is diatonic to those keys, so it fits songs in any of them.
What is the difference between Amaj7 and A?
Amaj7 is A (A, C# and E) with a major 7th added: G#.