F♯m(maj7)

Character: mysterious

  1. F♯Rtriad
  2. A♭3triad
  3. C♯5triad
  4. E♯7add
Voicings

12 ways to play F♯m(maj7)

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
CC shape 3rd inversion F♯m(maj7)/E♯
6 7 8 9 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets x 8 7 6 7 xNotes E♯ A C♯ F♯Intervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadF♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

CC shape Root position F♯m(maj7)
6 7 8 9 7 5 ♭3 R 5

Frets x 9 7 6 6 9Notes F♯ A C♯ E♯Intervals 1 ♭3 5 7Base triadF♯ minor, root position

The 7th gets a string of its own.

CC shape 1st inversion F♯m(maj7)/A
6 7 8 9 10 5 R 7 ♭3

Frets x x 7 10 7 xNotes A E♯ F♯Intervals ♭3 7 1Base triadF♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape Root position F♯m(maj7)
6 7 8 9 10 5 7 ♭3 R 5 R

Frets x 9 7 10 7 9Notes F♯ A E♯Intervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadF♯ minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape 2nd inversion F♯m(maj7)/C♯
6 7 8 9 10 7 ♭3 R 5 5 R

Frets 9 9 7 10 7 9Notes C♯ F♯ A E♯Intervals 5 1 ♭3 7Base triadF♯ minor, 2nd inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

AA shape Root position F♯m(maj7)
9 10 11 12 13 5 7 ♭3 R

Frets x x x 11 10 13Notes F♯ A E♯Intervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadF♯ minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

AA shape 2nd inversion AnchoredF♯m(maj7)
9 10 11 12 R ♭3 7 5 R 5

Frets x 9 11 10 10 9Notes F♯ C♯ E♯ AIntervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadF♯ minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

GG shape 3rd inversion F♯m(maj7)/E♯
11 12 13 14 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets 13 12 11 11 x xNotes E♯ A C♯ F♯Intervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadF♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 3rd inversion F♯m(maj7)/E♯
1 2 3 4 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets x x 3 2 2 2Notes E♯ A C♯ F♯Intervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadF♯ minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

EE shape Root position F♯m(maj7)
2 3 4 5 6 5 7 ♭3 R R 5 R

Frets 2 4 4 2 6 2Notes F♯ A E♯Intervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadF♯ minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 2nd inversion AnchoredF♯m(maj7)
1 2 3 4 R ♭3 7 5 R R 5

Frets 2 4 3 2 2 2Notes F♯ C♯ E♯ AIntervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadF♯ minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

DD shape 2nd inversion AnchoredF♯m(maj7)
4 5 6 7 R ♭3 7 5 R

Frets x x 4 6 6 5Notes F♯ C♯ E♯ AIntervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadF♯ minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

The rules

The construction rules F♯m(maj7) follows

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

Minor major 7th in every key

F♯m(maj7) chord questions

What notes are in F♯m(maj7)?

F♯m(maj7) is spelled F♯ A C♯ E♯: F♯ is the root, A is the ♭3rd, C♯ is the 5th, E♯ is the 7th.

What is the formula of F♯m(maj7)?

1 ♭3 5 7. It is a F♯ minor triad with the 7th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play F♯m(maj7) on guitar?

This page shows 12 voicings of F♯m(maj7), filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.