Chord · Major 7 Key of C

Cmaj7 Chord on guitar · voicings, notes & diagram

The Cmaj7 chord contains the notes C, E, G, B. Sophisticated, jazzy, lush — the major 7th is the sound of bossa nova and 70s soft rock.

Voicings

How to play Cmaj7.

Cmaj7 8fr × 1 3 4 2 1 E A D G B E

E-shape barre

Cmaj7 3fr × 1 3 2 4 1 E A D G B E

A-shape

Every chord tone on the neck

EADGBE 35791215 Root Scale note

Notes & intervals.

# Degree Note
1 1 C root
2 3 E
3 5 G
4 7 B

Sound & use

Sophisticated, jazzy, lush — the major 7th is the sound of bossa nova and 70s soft rock.

The I chord in jazz; the lush opener of countless ballads (Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder).

Common in: jazz, bossa nova, soul, pop

Also written as: M7, Δ7

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Same key

Other chords in the key of C.

C

Major

Cm

Minor

Cdim

Diminished

Caug

Augmented

Csus2

Suspended 2nd

Csus4

Suspended 4th

C7

Dominant 7

Cm7

Minor 7

Cm7b5

Minor 7♭5

Cdim7

Diminished 7

Cm(maj7)

Minor-Major 7

C6

Major 6

Cm6

Minor 6

Cadd9

Add 9

Cm(add9)

Minor Add 9

C9

Dominant 9

Cmaj9

Major 9

Cm9

Minor 9

All keys

Major 7 chord in every key.

C♯maj7

Dmaj7

D♯maj7

Emaj7

Fmaj7

F♯maj7

Gmaj7

G♯maj7

Amaj7

A♯maj7

Bmaj7

FAQ

About the Cmaj7 chord
on guitar.

What notes are in the Cmaj7 chord?

The Cmaj7 chord contains the notes C, E, G, B — that's a 1, 3, 5, 7 from the root.

How do I play Cmaj7 on guitar?

The most common voicings for Cmaj7 are shown above as fretboard diagrams. Start with the e-shape barre — finger position numbers are inside the dots. Mute any string marked X; play open strings shown with O.

Where is Cmaj7 used in music?

Sophisticated, jazzy, lush — the major 7th is the sound of bossa nova and 70s soft rock. The I chord in jazz; the lush opener of countless ballads (Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder).

What's a movable shape for Cmaj7?

Both E-shape (root on the 6th string) and A-shape (root on the 5th string) barre versions are common. Once you can play those two shapes, you can play Major 7 in any key just by sliding up or down the neck.

Can I print the Cmaj7 chord diagram?

Yes. Use your browser's print function (Cmd/Ctrl + P) — the SVG diagrams print crisply at any size. For a custom voicing or a printable handout with multiple chords, use the chord chart generator.