Emaj7 Guitar Chord

Emaj7 is the E major seventh chord. It has four notes: E, G♯, B and D♯. It is an easy open chord: play a normal open E, then slide the note on the D string back one fret, and all six strings are yours to strum.

312EBD♯G♯BE

An open E chord with the D string note pulled back to the 1st fret. Three fingers, all six strings ringing.

How to play Emaj7, step by step

  1. Index finger: 1st fret, D string
  2. Middle finger: 1st fret, G string
  3. Ring finger: 2nd fret, A string
  4. Strum all six strings.

From here, plain E is one finger away, and so is E7. Practise moving between the three and you will hear exactly what each seventh does.

More ways to play Emaj7

There are 2 common Emaj7 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.

Compact, frets 7 to 9
Emaj7 guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 7 to 9, played x7989x

Cleaner and more contained than the open shape, without the ringing overtones.

Songs that use the Emaj7 chord

If Emaj7 sounds off

The two 1st fret notes crowd each other
Index and middle sit side by side on the D and G strings at the same fret. Keep both on their tips, index tucked close to the fret wire, middle just behind it.
Open B or high E sounds dead
A flat middle finger on the G string will brush the B string. Curl it until the open strings ring free.
A string buzzes
The ring finger at the 2nd fret is doing the bass work. Press with the tip right behind the fret, and make sure it is not leaning onto the D string.

What makes it an Emaj7

E · G♯ · B · D♯ 1 3 5 7

Emaj7 is a major seventh chord: an E major triad (E, G♯, B) plus a major seventh (D♯). That D♯ sits one fret below the open E strings that surround it in the open shape, which is why this voicing sounds so lush: the gentle rub is built right in. Emaj7 is the I chord of E major and the IV chord of B major, and it gives songs in E a dreamier home base than the plain major.

E vs Emaj7

E major has three notes; Emaj7 trades one doubled E for a D♯. The open shapes differ by one finger on the D string, one fret apart. E is bold and direct, the workhorse chord of rock. Emaj7 is the same chord gone soft at the edges, better suited to ballads and slow soul.

Emaj7 chord questions

Is Emaj7 a beginner chord?

Yes. The open shape uses three fingers and no barre, and every string is strummed. If you can play E, you can play Emaj7 within minutes.

What is the difference between Emaj7 and E7?

One fret on the D string. E7 leaves it open (a D natural) and sounds bluesy and unresolved. Emaj7 frets it at the 1st fret (D♯) and sounds calm and complete. Beginners mix up the names constantly; the sounds are night and day.

Do you strum all six strings in Emaj7?

Yes. Every string is either fretted or an open chord tone, so strum the lot.

What is the difference between E and Emaj7?

Emaj7 adds a D♯ to E major's three notes. One finger moves back a fret, and the sound shifts from solid to dreamy.

What keys use Emaj7?

It is the I chord of E major and the IV chord of B major. Slow songs in E often use it in place of the plain E.

Chords to learn next

Other E chords