C Major 7th Guitar Chord (Cmaj7)
C major 7th is a four-note chord built from C (the root), E (the major third), G (the perfect fifth), and B (the major seventh). It stacks a major seventh on a major triad, and the result is dreamy — floaty, wistful, a little bittersweet. It is the sound of bossa nova, city pop, and mellow jazz. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.
Cmaj7 chord shapes — standard tuning
How to play it
Place your index finger on the D (4th) string at fret 2 and your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3. Let the G (3rd), B (2nd), and high E (1st) strings 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
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | C |
| 3 | major third | E |
| 5 | perfect fifth | G |
| 7 | major seventh | B |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see Cmaj7 in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More C chords
Nearby major 7th chords
Cmaj7 FAQ
What notes are in Cmaj7?
Cmaj7 contains C, E, G, and B — the root (C), the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major seventh.
Is Cmaj7 a barre chord?
Not necessarily. The easiest Cmaj7 shape (x-3-2-0-0-0) needs no barre — it uses 2 fingers plus open strings. Barre versions exist too, starting at fret 5, and are handy when you want to move the same grip to other keys.
What is the easiest way to play Cmaj7 on guitar?
Start with the open position shape x-3-2-0-0-0. Place your index finger on the D (4th) string at fret 2 and your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3. Let the G (3rd), B (2nd), and high E (1st) strings ring open. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum — start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.