Major 7 chords
A major seventh chord has four notes: the root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh. Its formula is 1 3 5 7. A major chord with a major 7th added, a half step below the octave. It is the I and IV chord of a major key when sevenths are added.
On C it is written Cmaj7, and also CM7, CΔ7 and CΔ.
Major 7 chords in every key
| Chord | Notes | Shapes |
|---|---|---|
| Cmaj7 | C E G B | guitar · piano · bass |
| Dbmaj7 | Db F Ab C | guitar · piano · bass |
| Dmaj7 | D F# A C# | guitar · piano · bass |
| Ebmaj7 | Eb G Bb D | guitar · piano · bass |
| Emaj7 | E G# B D# | guitar · piano · bass |
| Fmaj7 | F A C E | guitar · piano · bass |
| F#maj7 | F# A# C# E# | guitar · piano · bass |
| Gmaj7 | G B D F# | guitar · piano · bass |
| Abmaj7 | Ab C Eb G | guitar · piano · bass |
| Amaj7 | A C# E G# | guitar · piano · bass |
| Bbmaj7 | Bb D F A | guitar · piano · bass |
| Bmaj7 | B D# F# A# | guitar · piano · bass |
Major 7 compared
| Chord | Symbol | Formula | Notes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major 7 | Cmaj7 | 1 3 5 7 | C E G B | |
| Dominant 7 | C7 | 1 3 5 b7 | C E G Bb | C7 and Cmaj7 share C, E and G. C7 has Bb, the flat 7th, where Cmaj7 has B, the 7th. |
| Major 6 | C6 | 1 3 5 6 | C E G A | C6 and Cmaj7 share C, E and G. C6 has A, the 6th, where Cmaj7 has B, the 7th. |
| Major 9 | Cmaj9 | 1 3 5 7 9 | C E G B D | Cmaj9 is Cmaj7 (C, E, G and B) with D, the 9th, added. |
Questions
What is a major seventh chord?
A major seventh chord has four notes: the root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh. Its formula is 1 3 5 7. A major chord with a major 7th added, a half step below the octave. It is the I and IV chord of a major key when sevenths are added.
How do you write a major seventh chord?
On C it is written Cmaj7, and also CM7, CΔ7 and CΔ.
What is the difference between Cmaj7 and C7?
Cmaj7 and C7 share C, E and G. Cmaj7 has B, the 7th, where C7 has Bb, the flat 7th.