Train The C Maj7th Chord On Guitar with Interactive Feedback

C maj7 position 1 guitar chord diagram

The C major seventh chord, written Cmaj7, stacks root C, major third E, fifth G and major seventh B. Cmaj7 is a major triad with a major seventh on top.

There are 18 voicings on this page, seven of them with open strings and four using a barre. The C major scale holds each of these notes, so it shows you which neighbouring notes fit. Browse jazz progressions on guitar to see where a chord like this fits.

Press play on the fretboard player at the top to hear Cmaj7 strummed and as an arpeggio.

C major 7th guitar chord is also written as Cmaj7, CM7, CΔ7 or Cma7.

Notes that compose the C maj7 chord:

C E G B

Chord structure of the Major Seventh chord:

Formula: 1 3 5 7

C Maj7 Chord Interactive Fretboard

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Go to the full guitar chords tutorial.

C Maj7 Guitar Chord Diagrams

Position 1 Open

C maj7 position 1 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Let the G string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the B string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the D string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the A string

Position 2 Barre Movable

C maj7 position 2 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 3 of the A and high E strings at the same time
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 4 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 5 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the B string

Position 3 Movable

C maj7 position 3 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the high E string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 8 of the B string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the G string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 10 of the D string

Position 4 Movable

C maj7 position 4 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 3 of the A string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 4 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 5 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the B string

Position 5 Movable

C maj7 position 5 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the A string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the low E string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 8 of the B string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 9 of the G string

Position 6 Open

C maj7 position 6 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Let the G string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the B string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the D string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the low E string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 3 of the A string

Position 7 Open

C maj7 position 7 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Let the B string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the low E string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 9 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 10 of the A string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 10 of the D string

Position 8 Open

C maj7 position 8 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Let the B string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 3 of the A string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 5 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the G string

Position 9 Movable

C maj7 position 9 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the A string
  • Mute the B string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the low E string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 9 of the G string

Position 10 Open

C maj7 position 10 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Let the G string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the B string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 2 of the D string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 3 of the A string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the high E string

Position 11 Open

C maj7 position 11 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Let the G string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the B string play without pressing any fret
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 3 of the A string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the D string

Position 12 Barre Movable

C maj7 position 12 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 5 of the D, G and B strings at the same time
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 7 of the high E string

Position 13 Barre Movable

C maj7 position 13 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the B and high E strings at the same time
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 9 of the D string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the G string

Position 14 Barre Movable

C maj7 position 14 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 10 of the D string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 12 of the G, B and high E strings at the same time

Position 15 Open

C maj7 position 15 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 15 of the A string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 16 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 17 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 17 of the B string

Position 16 Movable

C maj7 position 16 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 13 of the B string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 14 of the D string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 15 of the high E string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 16 of the G string

Position 17 Movable

C maj7 position 17 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the A string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 10 of the D string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 12 of the low E string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 12 of the G string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 12 of the B string

Position 18 Movable

C maj7 position 18 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the B string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the D string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the high E string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 4 of the G string

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Play This Chord With Other Roots

C maj7 | D maj7 | E maj7 | F maj7 | G maj7 | A maj7 | B maj7 | C#maj7 | D#maj7 | F#maj7 | G#maj7 | A#maj7 | Abmaj7 | Bbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 | Gbmaj7

The C Maj 7th Chord - Analysis

Before we check out different chord positions for Cmaj7 let’s get an idea of how the chord is built and used.

The notes for the C major scale are C-D-E-F-G-A-B and a major chord is made up of the root, major third, and perfect fifth.

Which means a C major chord is made up of the notes C-E-G.

We have already discussed chords like E7 that are known as dominant sevenths, Cmaj7 is a major seventh chord.

The root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh is simply C-E-G-B.

The major seventh is used across the board in pop, rock, soul, funk , and of course commonly in jazz.

Dominant sevenths are often used to create tension before resolution, major sevenths are more like a little flavor in the chord progression (they give out a smoother feel than the dominant sevenths).

C major scale:

C D E F G A B

Formula: 1 3 5 7

Songs With a C Major Seventh Chord

"Imagine" : to show how mild of a change a major seventh chord can bring we have this song by John Lennon.

This song uses a Cmaj7 in the verse between a C and F chord, it helps create the light flowing feel of the song.

If you play C-C7-F it gives it more tension and a rock and blues, feel.

If we play the C-Cmaj7-F we get a song with a much different and more relaxed feel.

Another two well-known songs using major sevenths are Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers

It’s Late by Carole King

Cmaj7 can also be found in the pop and jazz standard Fly Me to the Moon and in Al Green’s love ballad Let’s Stay Together.

How To Use The Cmaj7 Chord

The best time to play the maj7 are on the one and four chords .

So in the key of C we would use Cmaj7 and Fmaj7 in our chord progression.

Another key where the Cmaj7 would sound nice is the Key G.

If you are into jazz, funk, pop standards, or fusion this is a chord you will see pop up often.

It is a chord you will see over and over again in some of the most popular and enduring songs.

Cmaj7 Chord Fingerings

Cmaj7 chord tones on the fretboard

The Cmaj7 tones on the guitar fretboard ( click to zoom )

Using the tones above we can come up with some of the more popular versions of how to play the Cmaj7 chord.

Usually, when we play a chord we want the root note (here C) to be the lowest played bass note.

Sometimes we will find a chord shape where that isn’t the case, which means the chord is an inversion.

If the lowest note is B, E, or G instead of the C that is an inversion.

The most common and first learned open position for Cmaj7 is X32000 .

Another easy but bass heavy open position is 332000 .

C major 7th guitar chord 332000 fingering C major 7th guitar chord 332000 fingering

C major seventh 332000 fingering ( click to zoom )

C major 7th guitar chord shape C major seventh guitar chord X35500 fingering

We can move up to the third position and play it as X35500 ( click to zoom )

There are a few common but difficult positions that take some practice to master like the common jazz voicing of 8X99XX , along with X3545X and XX10987

C major 7th guitar chord shape C major 7th chord shape 8x99xx

C major seventh 8X99XX fingering ( click to zoom )

C major 7th guitar chord shape C maj7 guitar chord shape x3545x

C maj7 guitar chord X3545X pattern  ( click to zoom )

C major 7th guitar chord shape C maj7 guitar chord

C major 7th XX10987 chord shape ( click to zoom )

Keys With The C Maj7 Chord

The most common keys in which to find the C Maj 7th chord is C major, the our chord is the root, and G major, where Cmaj7th is the 4th of the key.

C Major Key

C maj7 D m7 E m7 F maj7 G 7 A m7 B m7/b5
B (7)
G (5)
E (3)
C (1)		 C (1)
A (6)
F (4)
D (2)		 D (2)
B (7)
G (5)
E (3)		 E (3)
C (1)
A (6)
F (4)		 F (4)
D (2)
B (7)
G (5)		 G (5)
E (3)
C (1)
A (6)		 A (6)
F (4)
D (2)
B (7)

G Major Key

G maj7 A m7 B m7 C maj7 D 7 E m7 F# m7/b5
F# (7)
D (5)
B (3)
G (1)		 G (1)
E (6)
C (4)
A (2)		 A (2)
F# (7)
D (5)
B (3)		 B (3)
G (1)
E (6)
C (4)		 C (4)
A (2)
F# (7)
D (5)		 D (5)
B (3)
G (1)
E (6)		 E (6)
C (4)
A (2)
F# (7)

Giancarlo Facoetti, founder of FaChords Guitar

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher

FAQ

What notes are in Cmaj7?

Cmaj7 contains C, E, G and B: root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh. B sits one semitone short of the octave of C.

How many voicings does C major seventh have?

C major seventh has 18 voicings, 7 with open strings and 4 with a barre. The highest one reaches the 17th fret.

Which keys have Cmaj7 as a main chord?

Cmaj7 is the I chord of C major and the IV chord of G major. Both scales contain C, E, G and B.

How does Cmaj7 differ from C7?

Cmaj7 has a major seventh, B. C7 has a minor seventh, Bb, one semitone lower, which gives C7 a dominant function.