Cmaj7 Guitar Chord

Cmaj7 is the C major seventh chord. It has four notes: C, E, G and B. It is one of the easiest chords on the guitar: take an ordinary open C and lift your index finger off, and the two remaining fingers plus three open strings do the rest.

An open C chord with the index finger lifted off. Two fingers, three open strings, and one of the first maj7 shapes most players learn.

How to play Cmaj7, step by step

Middle finger: 2nd fret, D string
Ring finger: 3rd fret, A string
Leave the G and B and high E strings open. Strum from the A string down, skipping the low E.

This shape is plain C with the index finger lifted. Practise switching between the two: songs love to drift from C to Cmaj7 and back.

More ways to play Cmaj7

There are 2 common Cmaj7 shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

Cmaj7 guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 8 to 9, played 8x998x — Compact, frets 8 to 9

Songs that use the Cmaj7 chord

If it sounds dull or buzzy

Open B string sounds dull: The middle finger on the D string is probably brushing it. Curl the last knuckle so the finger stands upright.
A string buzzes at the 3rd fret: Move the ring finger right behind the fret wire and press with the tip. A lazy 3rd fret is the most common buzz in this chord.
Low E sneaks into the strum: The open low E is a chord tone, but in the bass it makes the chord bottom heavy. Start the strum from the C on the A string so the root stays lowest.

What makes it a Cmaj7

C · E · G · B 1 3 5 7

Cmaj7 is a major seventh chord: a C major triad (C, E, G) plus a major seventh (B). The B sits just one half step below the root C, and that closeness is the whole flavour: soft, settled, slightly wistful. Cmaj7 is the I chord of C major and the IV chord of G major, two of the most played keys on guitar, which is why this is usually the first maj7 chord people meet.

C vs Cmaj7

C major has three notes; Cmaj7 swaps the high C for a B. On guitar you get there by lifting the index finger off a normal C chord, so it is actually one finger easier. C sounds bright and resolved, Cmaj7 sounds calmer and jazzier. Songs like Something and Dust in the Wind lean on that exact C to Cmaj7 move.

Cmaj7 chord questions

Is Cmaj7 easier than C?

Yes. The open Cmaj7 is a C chord with the index finger removed, leaving just two fingers. Many beginners can play Cmaj7 before they can play a clean C.

What is the difference between Cmaj7 and C7?

C7 has a B♭ (flat seventh) and sounds bluesy and tense, wanting to move to F. Cmaj7 has a B natural (major seventh) and sounds at rest. Confusing the two is common, and the difference is one fret and a whole mood.

What songs use Cmaj7?

On this page alone: Something by The Beatles, Wild World by Cat Stevens, Dust in the Wind by Kansas, and Fly Me to the Moon. Pop, folk and jazz all use it constantly.

Do you strum all six strings in Cmaj7?

Strum five, from the A string down. The open low E is technically a chord tone, but leaving it out keeps the root C in the bass and the sound clean.

What keys use Cmaj7?

It is the I chord in C major and the IV chord in G major. In jazz progressions in C, it is the usual home chord.