Fmaj7 Piano Chord

Fmaj7 is the F major seventh chord. It has four notes: F, A, C and E. All four are white keys, and along with Cmaj7 it is one of the two major sevenths that need no black keys.

1F2A3C5EC4C5

F at the bottom, then A and C and E. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. Every key here is white.

How to play Fmaj7 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the F above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): F
  3. Index finger (2): A
  4. Middle finger (3): C
  5. Little finger (5): E
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just F on its own as a bass note.

Fmaj7 and Cmaj7 are the two all white major sevenths, and they sit one hand position apart. Learning them together covers most of the soft harmony in the key of C.

Inversions of Fmaj7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Fmaj7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionA C E F
Fmaj7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, A C E F
Lighter than root position and less final. A third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionC E F A
Fmaj7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, C E F A
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.
Third inversionE F A C
Fmaj7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, E F A C
The most restless of the four. The seventh is the note that wants to move, and putting it underneath the whole chord makes that pull impossible to miss.

If it sounds wrong

The top note is E flat
That gives F7, which pulls toward B flat. Fmaj7 needs E natural.
The chord sounds muddy
The E and the F above it are a half step apart, which blurs low down. Play the chord at or above middle C.
The middle notes are uneven
Fingers 2 and 3 sit on A and C. Keep the knuckles level so both arrive with the same weight as the thumb.

What makes it an Fmaj7

F · A · C · E 1 3 5 7

Fmaj7 is an F major triad, F A C, with an E added: the major seventh, a half step below the F above it.

It is the I chord of F major and the IV of C. That second job is the common one on piano: in the key of C, playing Fmaj7 instead of plain F is the easiest way to make a progression sound less blunt.

Fmaj7 vs F

Fmaj7 is F major with an E on top. F is plain and final; Fmaj7 is soft and slightly wistful.

In a ballad in C, swapping F for Fmaj7 changes the whole feel of the progression without changing what the chord is doing.

Questions about Fmaj7

Which notes are in an Fmaj7 chord on piano?

F, A, C and E. All four are white keys.

What fingers do you use for Fmaj7?

Right hand: thumb on F, index on A, middle on C, little finger on E. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

What is the difference between Fmaj7 and F7?

The top note. Fmaj7 has E natural and rests; F7 has E flat and pushes toward B flat.

Is Fmaj7 easy to play?

Yes. Four white keys and an even shape. On piano it is far easier than the guitar version, which needs a barre or a partial one.

Where is the Fmaj7 chord used?

As the I chord in F and the IV in C. It is very common in jazz, bossa nova and ballads.

Chords to learn next

Other F chords