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A major 7th chord on guitar (Amaj7)
Also called or written Amaj7 or AM7
A major 7th contains A, C♯, E, and G♯. The open position demands precise muting and finger independence.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7
- Root positionA–C♯–E–G♯Amaj7×-0-2-1-2-0
- First inversionC♯–E–G♯–AAmaj7/C♯×-4-2-2-2-4
- Second inversionE–G♯–A–C♯Amaj7/E0-0-2-1-2-0
- Third inversionG♯–A–C♯–EAmaj7/G♯4-4-2-2-2-4
How do you play an A major 7th chord on guitar?
A major 7th is played in open position as × 0 2 1 2 0: middle finger on the D string at fret 2, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the B string at fret 2. The A and high e strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (1) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (5) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (5) |
AdvancedThe open position requires muting the low E string while fretting three adjacent strings cleanly.
5th fret
A major 7th is played at the 5th fret as 5 7 6 6 5 5: barre your index finger across fret 5, pinky finger on the A string at fret 7, middle finger on the D string at fret 6 and ring finger on the G string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 4 | E (5) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 2 | G♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 3 | C♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
7th fret
A major 7th is played at the 7th fret as × × 7 9 9 9: index finger on the D string at fret 7, middle finger on the G string at fret 9, ring finger on the B string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 9. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 1 | A (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 2 | E (5) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | G♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (3) |
12th fret
A major 7th is played at the 12th fret as × 12 14 13 14 12: barre your index finger across fret 12, ring finger on the D string at fret 14, middle finger on the G string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 14. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 4 (D) | 14 | 3 | E (5) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 2 | G♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | 14 | 4 | C♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
Amaj7/C♯ inversion
A major 7th is played at the 2nd fret as × 4 2 2 2 4: barre your index finger across fret 2, ring finger on the A string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 4. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 3 | C♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (7) |
Why it sounds like that
A major 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 7. The major 7th interval from A to G♯ gives the chord its bright, unresolved quality. Compare it to A major, which stops at the perfect 5th.
What goes wrong with A major 7th?
- The low E string rings out, muddying the bass note.
- The index finger collapses onto the D string, deadening it.
- The ring finger touches the high e string, choking the open note.
When to use it
A major 7th is the tonic in A major. Use it in progressions like A–D–E–A, the I–IV–V–I, or A–E–F♯m–D, the I–V–vi–IV. It suits smooth jazz, neo-soul, and ballads.
Changing to and from A major 7th
- From A major 7th to D major: lift the ring and middle fingers, move the index to the G string 2nd fret, and place the ring on the B string 3rd fret.
- From A major 7th to G major 7th: slide the whole shape down two frets, keeping the same finger pattern.
Which voicing to use
The open position is the easiest to reach, but the 5th fret barre gives a fuller sound with the root on the low E string. For a lighter voicing, use the 7th fret shape, which omits the low strings. The Amaj7/C♯ inversion puts the third in the bass for a softer, more ambiguous feel.
Other A chords
Common questions
How is A major 7th written?
A major 7th is written as AM7 or Amaj7. No enharmonic spelling is needed.
What is the difference between A major 7th and A dominant 7th?
A major 7th has a major 7th interval (G♯), while A dominant 7th has a minor 7th (G). The major 7th sounds brighter and more resolved.
Why does the open A major 7th shape mute the low E string?
The low E string is muted to preserve the A bass note. If it rings, the chord becomes E/A, which changes the voicing.
Can A major 7th be played as a barre chord?
Yes, the 5th fret position is a barre chord with the root on the low E string. It is movable and useful for higher voicings.