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Guitar chords · Major 7th

Emaj7 chord on guitar

Emaj7 (E major 7th) has four notes: E, G♯, B and D♯, the , 3, 5 and 7.

Shapes

How to play Emaj7

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

Emaj7 has an , and one : the A shape at 7. A movable shape keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • Open

    573EBD♯G♯BE
  • A shape · fret 7

    7fr×R5735EBD♯G♯B
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes Emaj7 major 7th

A major adds the note a below the to a major chord. It sounds soft, open and a little dreamy, at home in jazz, bossa nova and soul.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The 3rd and the 7th make Emaj7 a major ; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. ERroot
  2. G♯3essential
  3. B5optional
  4. D♯7essential
EADGBE0135791215EEEEEEEEEG♯BD♯BD♯G♯BD♯G♯BD♯G♯BD♯G♯BD♯G♯BG♯BD♯
  • E, the root
  • Other chord tones

Keys

Keys with Emaj7

Emaj7 belongs to four keys: E major (Imaj7), B major (IVmaj7), C♯ minor (IIImaj7) and G♯ minor (VImaj7).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Progressions

Progressions with Emaj7

Common progressions that use Emaj7, each in a key that spells it Emaj7. The outlined chord is Emaj7.

  • Jazz ii–V–I in E major

    ii7 – V7 – Imaj7

    1. F♯m7
    2. B7
    3. Emaj7

    Each chord falls a fifth to the next — a walk anticlockwise around the circle.

    Heard in Autumn Leaves, Fly Me to the Moon

Slash chords

Emaj7 over another bass note

A keeps Emaj7 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Emaj7/G♯

    Emaj7 with its 3rd, G♯, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • Emaj7/B

    Emaj7 with its 5th, B, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • Emaj7/D♯

    Emaj7 with its 7th, D♯, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

Emaj7, in short

What notes are in the Emaj7 chord?
Emaj7 (E major 7th) has four notes: E, G♯, B and D♯, the , 3, 5 and 7.
How do you play Emaj7 on guitar?
Emaj7 has an , and one : the A shape at 7.
What key is Emaj7 in?
Emaj7 belongs to four keys: E major (Imaj7), B major (IVmaj7), C♯ minor (IIImaj7) and G♯ minor (VImaj7).
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