stringery

C major 7 Major 7 family

Soft, dreamy, a bit wistful.

Easiest shape1 of 6

Square: the root. In colour: the major 7th, which gives the chord its sound.

Change a finger and see what it becomes

Built from

  • Croot
  • Emajor 3rd
  • G5th
  • Bmajor 7th

The major 7th sits one fret below the root an octave up, a gentle clash that sounds lush rather than tense.

Tension: Gentle

Hear it in a progression

Where it goes next

Thinking in C major, where it is the Imaj7 chord.

  • Fmaj7

    IVmaj7. Lifts away from home without leaving it.

  • G7

    V7. Builds tension that wants to come back.

  • Am7

    vi7. Same key, sadder colour: the relative minor.

  • Dm7

    ii7. A gentle step up that sets up the V chord.

Sounds close

  • Am7

    Relative minor 7: same notes but one. Both have C, E and G.

  • Em7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, G and B.

  • Em

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, G and B.

  • E

    Shares 2 of its notes. Both have E and B.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

Keys it lives in