Fmaj7 Guitar Chord

Fmaj7 is the F major seventh chord. It has four notes: F, A, C and E. It is famous as the F chord you can actually play on day one: no barre, three fingers, and an open high E on top. Many beginners use it as a stand in for full F long before their barre arrives.

Three fingers stacked in a diagonal on the D, G and B strings, with the open high E as the seventh. The classic beginner friendly F shape.

How to play Fmaj7, step by step

Index finger: 1st fret, B string
Middle finger: 2nd fret, G string
Ring finger: 3rd fret, D string
Leave the high E string open. Strum from the D string down, skipping the two lowest strings.

More ways to play Fmaj7

There are 2 common Fmaj7 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.

Fmaj7 guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 8 to 10, played x 8 10 9 10 x — Compact, frets 8 to 10

Songs that use the Fmaj7 chord

If it buzzes or sounds thin

Open high E dies: The index on the B string is the culprit. Curl it up onto its tip; if it lies back even slightly, the open string goes with it.
D string buzzes at the 3rd fret: The ring finger is the furthest stretch in this shape. Bring it right behind the fret wire and press through the fingertip.
Low E or A rumble underneath: They bury the F root and muddy the chord. Start the strum from the D string, and let the thumb hover over the low E as insurance.

What makes it an Fmaj7

F · A · C · E 1 3 5 7

Fmaj7 is a major seventh chord: an F major triad (F, A, C) plus a major seventh (E). In the open shape that E is the open top string, ringing a half step under the F root's octave, which gives the chord its floating, unresolved sweetness. Fmaj7 is the I chord of F major and the IV chord of C major. That second job is the big one: an enormous number of songs in C use Fmaj7 where a plain F could sit, Space Oddity being a famous example.

F vs Fmaj7

F major has three notes; Fmaj7 adds an E. On guitar this is the rare pair where the seventh chord is far easier: full F demands a barre, Fmaj7 needs three fingertips. They are not always swappable, because the open E on top changes the character, but in many songs in C the substitution works and beginners lean on it while the barre develops.

Fmaj7 chord questions

Can I play Fmaj7 instead of F?

Often, especially in the key of C where the E note fits the scale. It will sound softer and jazzier than plain F. If the song's melody clashes with the added E, drop back to a small F shape instead.

Is Fmaj7 easier than F?

Much easier. Full F is usually a beginner's first barre chord; Fmaj7 needs no barre at all.

What songs use Fmaj7?

Space Oddity by David Bowie moves between Fmaj7 and Em in its intro, and Fly Me to the Moon passes through Fmaj7 in its jazz cycle. Any mellow song in C is a candidate.

What is the difference between Fmaj7 and F7?

F7 has an E♭ and pushes hard toward B flat, a blues move. Fmaj7 has an E natural and rests where it is. Same root, opposite intentions.

Do you strum all six strings in Fmaj7?

No. Strum the top four strings so the F stays in the bass. The open low strings are chord tones on paper, but underneath the F they turn the chord muddy and unbalanced.