Major Chords – 7
Major 7 Chord
The major 7 chord is simply the major chord with the 7th note of the major scale added.
Let’s use the C major chord to show this:
C Major
C Major 7
Major 7 Chord Formula:
A major 7 chord is made up of notes based on the intervals of the major scale.
The major 7 chord formula is 1-3-5-6 (i.e. the Root, 3rd, 5th and 7th notes of the major scale).
Inversions:
An inversion is simply a way of identifying when the notes of a chord have been ‘inverted’ i.e. when the root (1st) note of the chord is not in the lowest (bass) position.
The C major 7 chord consists of 4 notes, C, E, G, B (1st–3rd–5th–7th).
When the lowest note of the chord is C (1st) then it is in the ‘root position‘.
When the note E (3rd) is in the lowest position then the chord is known as a ‘1st inversion‘.
When the note G (5th) is in the lowest position then the chord is known as a ‘2nd inversion‘.
When the note B (7th) is in the lowest position then the chord is known as a ‘3rd inversion‘.
The inversion is determined only by the note in the lowest (bass) position, it does not matter what order the other notes are in.
You can use MusicWheels™ to discover all the other major 7 chords.
Guitar Diagrams
Major 7 Chords - CAGED - Across the Fretboard
The diagrams below show the generic CAGED shapes for major 7 chords.
The red note is the root note of the chord, for example:
– if you wish to play the A major chord then the red root note will be the note of A
– if you wish to play the D major chord then the red root note will be the note of D and so on.
Keyboard Diagrams
