Cmaj7
Character: dreamy
- CRtriad
- E3triad
- G5triad
- B7add
15 ways to play Cmaj7
Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.
- Triad note
- Substitute
- Added
- Anchored root
- Bass
- Doubling
Frets x 3 2 4 1 0Notes E B CIntervals 3 7 1Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 2 2 0 1 xNotes B E G CIntervals 7 3 5 1Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 3 2 0 0 0Notes C E G BIntervals 1 3 5 7Base triadC major, root position
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 3 3 2 4 x xNotes G C E BIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadC major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 3 5 5 5 7Notes G C E BIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadC major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x x 5 5 7Notes C E BIntervals 1 3 7Base triadC major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 3 5 4 5 3Notes C G B EIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadC major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
Frets 8 7 9 5 5 0Notes E B CIntervals 3 7 1Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 7 7 5 5 x xNotes B E G CIntervals 7 3 5 1Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 8 7 9 0 8 0Notes C E BIntervals 1 3 7Base triadC major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 8 10 10 9 8 7Notes C E G BIntervals 1 3 5 7Base triadC major, root position
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 9 9 8 8Notes B E G CIntervals 7 3 5 1Base triadC major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 8 x 10 9 12 0Notes C E BIntervals 1 3 7Base triadC major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 8 10 9 9 x xNotes C G B EIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadC major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
Frets x x x 4 1 0Notes B C EIntervals 7 1 3Base triadC major, 2nd inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
The construction rules Cmaj7 follows
Start from a triad
Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.
A third on top makes a 7th chord
A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.
On guitar, something has to give
Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.
The root can move down
When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.
All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.
Major 7th in every key
More chords on C
Cmaj7 chord questions
What notes are in Cmaj7?
Cmaj7 is spelled C E G B: C is the root, E is the 3rd, G is the 5th, B is the 7th.
What is the formula of Cmaj7?
1 3 5 7. It is a C major triad with the 7th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play Cmaj7 on guitar?
This page shows 15 voicings of Cmaj7, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.