E major seventh chord (Emaj7)

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

NotesE – G♯ – B – D♯
Formula1 – 3 – 5 – 7
SymbolEmaj7 · EΔ7 · EM7 · E7M
TypeMajor seventh chord

E major seventh on guitar

Open position
Open position
Barre at fret 7 (A shape)

How to place your fingers (open position)

Finger 3 (ring) on fret 2 of the 5th string (A).
Finger 1 (index finger) on fret 1 of the 4th string (D).
Finger 2 (middle) on fret 1 of the 3rd string (G).
The 6th, 2nd and 1st strings are played open.

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 (E). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

E major seventh on piano

In root position, play E – G♯ – B – D♯ 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 (E) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: G♯ – B – D♯ – E
Second inversion: B – D♯ – E – G♯
Third inversion: D♯ – E – G♯ – B

E major seventh on ukulele

Open position
From fret 4

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 E major seventh

E1 · root
G♯3 · major third
B5 · perfect fifth
D♯7 · 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 Emaj7

Turnaround: Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7

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

A colorful fourth degree: Imaj7 – IVmaj7

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

Which keys contain E major seventh?

Emaj7 belongs to 4 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E major seventh chord?

E major seventh (Emaj7) has 4 notes: E (root), G♯ (major third), B (perfect fifth), D♯ (major seventh).

How do you play E major seventh on guitar?

The easiest shape is in open position: 0 2 1 1 0 0 (from the 6th to the 1st string). Finger 3 (ring) on fret 2 of the 5th string (A). Finger 1 (index) on fret 1 of the 4th string (D). Finger 2 (middle) on fret 1 of the 3rd string (G). The 6th, 2nd, and 1st strings are played open.

How do you write E major seventh in chord notation?

It is written Emaj7; you may also see EΔ7, EM7 or E7M. Letter notation uses C, D, E, F, G, A and B for the seven note names.

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