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B Major 7th Guitar Chord (Bmaj7)

B major 7th is a four-note chord built from B (the root), D♯ (the major third), F♯ (the perfect fifth), and A♯ (the major seventh). It is calm and luminous — the natural 7 adds a gentle rub against the root that reads as dreamy rather than tense. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.

Bmaj7 chord shapes — standard tuning

open string × muted / not played 1–4 suggested finger 3fr shape starts at fret 3 R · 3 · 5 · ♭7 chord tone each string sounds
Bmaj7 guitar chord diagram, Open position, frets x-2-1-3-0-2×2R1347R35
Open position
x-2-1-3-0-2
Bmaj7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 4fr, frets 7-6-4-4-4-64fr4R2315R337
Barre · 4fr
7-6-4-4-4-6
Bmaj7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 7fr, frets 7-9-8-8-7-77fr1R4527335R
Barre · 7fr
7-9-8-8-7-7
Bmaj7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 11fr, frets x-14-13-11-11-1111fr×3R231573
Barre · 11fr
x-14-13-11-11-11

How to play it

Place your index finger on the D (4th) string at fret 1, your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 2, your ring finger on the high E (1st) string at fret 2, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 3. Let the B (2nd) string ring open. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum — start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.

Once that shape is comfortable, try the other 3 voicings above — same notes, different neck positions and textures.

Notes in this chord

SymbolIntervalNote
RrootB
3major thirdD♯
5perfect fifthF♯
7major seventhA♯

Bmaj7 FAQ

What notes are in Bmaj7?
Bmaj7 contains B, D♯, F♯, and A♯ — the root (B), the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major seventh.

Is Bmaj7 a barre chord?
Not necessarily. The easiest Bmaj7 shape (x-2-1-3-0-2) needs no barre — it uses 4 fingers plus open strings. Barre versions exist too, starting at fret 4, and are handy when you want to move the same grip to other keys.

What is the easiest way to play Bmaj7 on guitar?
Start with the open position shape x-2-1-3-0-2. Place your index finger on the D (4th) string at fret 1, your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 2, your ring finger on the high E (1st) string at fret 2, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 3. Let the B (2nd) string ring open. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum — start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.