Cmaj7 chord
Lush, warm, and jazzy. The natural 7th sits a semitone below the octave, giving a soft, unresolved shimmer.
C major 7th · 3 voicings
Notes in Cmaj7
How to Play Cmaj7
Open position
x 3 2 0 0 0
Barre, Emaj7 shape
8 10 9 9 8 8
Barre, Amaj7 shape
x 3 5 4 5 3
Numbers under each diagram are frets, string 6 (thickest) to string 1. x means don't play that string; 0 means play it open.
Where Cmaj7 Is Used
Cmaj7 occurs naturally in 2 major keys. Its roman numeral tells you the job it does in each — the same chord feels like home in one key and like tension in another.
| Key | Degree | Role |
|---|---|---|
| C major | I | Tonic — the home chord |
| G major | IV | Subdominant — moves away from home |
Progressions featuring Cmaj7
- I – V – vi – IV — the most common progression in pop
- I – IV – V — the backbone of blues and early rock
- vi – IV – I – V — the pop-punk staple
Playing tips for Cmaj7
Cmaj7 has an open-position shape, which means some strings ring open and it is playable without barring. Press just behind the fret rather than on top of it, keep your fingertips arched so they do not deaden neighbouring strings, and strum only the strings the diagram marks as played.
If a string buzzes or sounds dead, the usual causes are a fingertip leaning against it, not quite enough pressure, or a finger too far behind the fret. Play each string one at a time to find which one is failing before adjusting the whole shape — and make sure your guitar is in tune first, since an out-of-tune string will make a correct shape sound wrong. Use our free online tuner to check.
Related Chords
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