Ways to play Gmaj7
Open position first, then up the neck. Tap a shape to put it on the fretboard above and hear it. The numbers are fingers (1 is your index), × means leave that string out, and ○ means let it ring open.
What's in Gmaj7
A major 7th chord adds the natural 7th, a half step below the root, to a major triad. Gmaj7 is G, B, D, F♯. Don't mix it up with G7: the two differ by one note, and that note changes the whole character.
| Note | Formula | Interval from G |
|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Root |
| B | 3 | Major 3rd |
| D | 5 | Perfect 5th |
| F♯ | 7 | Major 7th |
Soft, open and a little wistful. It works as a I or IV chord and turns up constantly in jazz, bossa nova, soul and soft rock.
Keys that use Gmaj7
Every major and minor key whose scale contains all of G, B, D and F♯, and the chord's Roman numeral in each.
| Key | Gmaj7 is the |
|---|---|
| G major | Imaj7 |
| D major | IVmaj7 |
| B minor | VImaj7 |
| E minor | IIImaj7 |
Progressions to try
ii7–V7–Imaj7 in G major
The jazz cadence. The maj7 at the end lands softer than a plain major chord would.
Related chords
Other chords on G: