Understand and Play the F maj7 Chord for Guitar

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F maj7 position 1 guitar chord diagram

In Fmaj7, the F major seventh chord, the notes are F, A, C and E. The seventh, E, sits a semitone below the octave of the root.

Because every chord tone sits in the F major scale, that scale is its natural home. Fmaj7 is a major triad with a major seventh on top. You get 15 voicings to choose from, seven of them with open strings and six using a barre. A lighter version of the same sound is described in shell chords.

With labels switched on in the fretboard player above, you can read each note name under your fingers.

F major 7th guitar chord is also written as Fmaj7, FM7, FΔ7 or Fma7.

Notes that compose the F maj7 chord:

F A C E

How the Major Seventh chord is built:

Formula: 1 3 5 7

F Maj7 Guitar Chord Diagrams

Position 1 Open

F maj7 position 1 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the A string
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the low E string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 1 of the B string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 2 of the G string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 3 of the D string

Position 2 Barre Open

F maj7 position 2 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 5 of the G, B and high E strings at the same time
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 7 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 8 of the A string

Position 3 Barre Open

F maj7 position 3 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Let the low E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the A and high E strings at the same time
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 9 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 10 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 10 of the B string

Position 4 Movable

F maj7 position 4 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the A string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the low E string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 1 of the B string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 2 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 2 of the G string

Position 5 Movable

F maj7 position 5 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the A string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 9 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 10 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 10 of the B string

Position 6 Barre Open

F maj7 position 6 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the low E and B strings at the same time
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the A string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 3 of the D string

Position 7 Barre Movable

F maj7 position 7 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 10 of the D, G and B strings at the same time
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 12 of the high E string

Position 8 Open

F maj7 position 8 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Mute the D string
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the B string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the G string

Position 9 Open

F maj7 position 9 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the A string
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the B string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the D string

Position 10 Movable

F maj7 position 10 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the B string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the A string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 9 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 10 of the D string

Position 11 Movable

F maj7 position 11 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the A string
  • Mute the B string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the low E string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 2 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 2 of the G string

Position 12 Barre Movable

F maj7 position 13 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 8 of the A and high E strings at the same time
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 9 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 10 of the D string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 10 of the B string

Position 13 Open

F maj7 position 14 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Let the high E string play without pressing any fret
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 1 of the B string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the A string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 3 of the D string

Position 14 Barre Movable

F maj7 position 15 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 3 of the A and D strings at the same time
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the G, B and high E strings at the same time

Position 15 Movable

F maj7 position 16 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the D string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 8 of the A string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the G string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 10 of the B string

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Play This Chord With Other Roots

C maj7 | D maj7 | E maj7 | F maj7 | G maj7 | A maj7 | B maj7 | C#maj7 | D#maj7 | F#maj7 | G#maj7 | A#maj7 | Abmaj7 | Bbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 | Gbmaj7

Giancarlo Facoetti, founder of FaChords Guitar

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher

FAQ

Which notes does Fmaj7 contain?

Fmaj7 contains F, A, C and E: root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh. E is one semitone short of the octave of F.

How many ways are there to play F major seventh?

F major seventh has 15 voicings, 7 with open strings and 6 with a barre. The highest one reaches the 12th fret.

Where does Fmaj7 sit among the chords of a key?

Fmaj7 is the I chord of F major and the IV chord of C major. Both scales contain F, A, C and E.

Which scale suits F major seventh?

The F major scale: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E. It holds all four chord notes, so its melodies fit.