C major seventh chord (Cmaj7)

C major seventh is a 4-note major seventh chord: C – E – G – B. It sounds soft, open and dreamy. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio.

NotesC – E – G – B
Formula1 – 3 – 5 – 7
SymbolCmaj7 · CΔ7 · CM7 · C7M
TypeMajor seventh chord

C major seventh on guitar

Open position
Barre at fret 3 (A shape)
Fret 8 (E shape)

How to place your fingers (open position)

Place finger 3 (ring) at fret 3 on the 5th string (A).
Finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of the 4th string (D).
Play the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings open.
Do not play the 6th string: strum from the 5th.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (C). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

C major seventh on piano

In root position, play C – E – G – B from bottom to top with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 of your right hand. With your left hand you usually play just the root (C) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: E – G – B – C
Second inversion: G – B – C – E
Third inversion: B – C – E – G

C major seventh on ukulele

Open position
From fret 3

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of C major seventh

C1 · root
E3 · major third
G5 · perfect fifth
B7 · major seventh

Widely used in bossa nova, jazz, ballads and pop: it adds color to the tonic or the fourth degree without creating strong tension.

Progressions with Cmaj7

Turnaround: Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7

A four-chord turnaround widely used in jazz, bossa nova and ballads, in C major.

A colorful fourth degree: Imaj7 – IVmaj7

Two major seventh chords that alternate to create a mellow mood.

Which keys contain C major seventh?

Cmaj7 belongs to 4 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
C major	Imaj7
G major	IVmaj7
E natural minor	VImaj7
A natural minor	IIImaj7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C major seventh chord?

C major seventh (Cmaj7) has 4 notes: C (root), E (major third), G (perfect fifth), B (major seventh).

How do you play C major seventh on guitar?

The easiest shape is in open position: x 3 2 0 0 0 (from the 6th to the 1st string). Place finger 3 (ring) on fret 3 of the 5th string (A). Place finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of the 4th string (D). Play the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings open. Do not play the 6th string: strum from the 5th.

How do you write C major seventh in chord notation?

It is written Cmaj7; you may also see CΔ7, CM7, or C7M. Chord symbols use letter names for notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

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