Cmaj7 chord on guitar

Cmaj7 is the C major 7 chord. Its notes are C, E, G and B. An open, reflective color. The major seventh sits a semitone below the root.

How to play Cmaj7

Open shape

x32000

Barre chord

fret 3, A shape

x35453

Barre chord

fret 8, E shape

8-10-9-9-8-8

Barre tip: the long bar marked BARRE means one finger presses several strings at once. Lay it flat just behind the fret, press with the bony outer edge rather than the soft middle, and keep your thumb behind the neck. Pick each string one at a time and nudge the finger until none of them buzz.

Numbers show frets from the low E string to the high e string; x means don't play that string.

What's in Cmaj7

Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 7
Also written: Cmaj7, CM7, CΔ7
Chord type: Major 7

Keys that use Cmaj7

Cmaj7 is the Imaj7 chord in C major and the IVmaj7 chord in G major. That makes it a natural fit in songs written in those keys.

Cmaj7 notes across the neck

Every C, E, G and B on the first 12 frets. The filled dots are the root, C. Build your own shape from any nearby group.

Related chords

Other C chords

C Cm C7 Cmaj7 Cm7 C5 Csus2 Csus4 Cadd9 C6 Cm6 Caug Cdim Cdim7 Cm7♭5 C9 Cmaj9 Cm9 Cmmaj7 C7♭5 C7♯5 C7♭9 C7♯9

Other major 7 chords

Cmaj7 C♯maj7 Dmaj7 E♭maj7 Emaj7 Fmaj7 F♯maj7 Gmaj7 A♭maj7 Amaj7 B♭maj7 Bmaj7

Open the chord library Transpose chords