AdvancedMajor 7th

C#maj7 Chord

The C#maj7 is a major 7th chord that sounds lush, sophisticated, and dreamy. Major 7th chords have a rich, sophisticated color used in jazz, bossa nova, and R&B. The major 7th adds a floating, romantic quality to the otherwise stable major triad.

Notes:C#Root (1)FMajor 3rd (3)G#Perfect 5th (5)CMajor 7th (7)

Open Position

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Chord Diagrams

Position — Fret 9

Uses a barre chord technique

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Barre Shape — Fret 4

Uses a barre chord technique

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How to Play C#maj7

Follow these steps for the open position fingering:

Barre technique: Press your index finger flat across all strings at fret 9 to form the barre, then add the remaining fingers on top.
#StringInstructionNote
1Low E (6th string)Fret 9 with your index fingerC#
2A (5th string)Fret 11 with your ring fingerF
3D (4th string)Fret 11 with your pinky fingerG#
4G (3rd string)Fret 10 with your middle fingerC
5B (2nd string)Fret 9 with your index fingerC#
6High E (1st string)Fret 9 with your index fingerF

= Open string (no fingers needed)

= Muted string (don't play)

= Press your finger down firmly just behind the fret

Notes in C#maj7

The C#maj7 chord is built from 4 distinct notes, each serving a harmonic role:

C#
Root (1)
The root — gives the chord its name
F
Major 3rd (3)
The major third — creates the bright sound
G#
Perfect 5th (5)
The fifth — adds power and stability
C
Major 7th (7)
Extended tone — adds richness and color

Other C# Chords

Explore other chord types built on the same root note:

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