Emaj7 Chord

How to play E major 7th on guitar — warm, dreamy and jazzy — a major chord with a soft top note.

312
Notes
E – G♯ – B – D♯
Frets (low → high)
0 2 1 1 0 0
Difficulty
Easy
Shape
Open position

How to play Emaj7, step by step

  1. 1Put your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the A string (5th).
  2. 2Put your index finger on the 1st fret of the D string (4th).
  3. 3Put your middle finger on the 1st fret of the G string (3rd).
  4. 4Let the low E, B and high E strings ring open.
  5. 5Strum slowly and check every string sounds cleanly; if one buzzes, press closer to the fret wire and arch your fingers so they clear the neighbouring strings.

What makes a major seventh chord

Warm, dreamy and jazzy — a major chord with a soft top note.

NoteIntervalSemitones above E
Eroot0
G♯major 3rd4
B5th7
D♯major 7th11

Other E chords

Same root, different colour. Swapping one of these into a progression is the quickest way to change its mood without changing the key.

Every major 7th chord

The same shape moved around the neck. If you can play Emaj7 you are a fret-slide away from all of these.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Emaj7 chord?
Emaj7 is made of E, G♯, B, D♯ — the root, major 3rd, 5th, major 7th of E.
Is Emaj7 hard to play?
No — Emaj7 sits at 0 2 1 1 0 0 and is rated easy, so it is comfortable for most beginners.

Got a chart full of chords like Emaj7?

Upload a chord sheet and move every chord into a key that fits your hands and your voice — the layout stays exactly as printed. Or let the capo calculator pick the position that turns the barre chords into open ones.