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B augmented major 7th chord on guitar (BaugMaj7)
Also called or written BaugMaj7, BaugM7, B+M7, BM7#5, Bmaj+7, B augmented major seventh or B major seventh sharp five
B augmented major 7th contains B, D♯, F♯♯, and A♯. The open B string rings between fretted notes on the G and high e strings, creating a wide stretch.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, 7
- Root positionB–D♯–F♯♯–A♯BaugMaj7×-2-1-3-0-3
- First inversionD♯–F♯♯–A♯–BBaugMaj7/D♯×-×-1-3-0-3
- Second inversionF♯♯–A♯–B–D♯BaugMaj7/F♯♯3-1-1-0-0-3
- Third inversionA♯–B–D♯–F♯♯BaugMaj7/A♯×-1-1-0-0-3
How do you play a B augmented major 7th chord on guitar?
B augmented major 7th is played in open position as × 2 1 3 0 3: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the D string at fret 1, ring finger on the G string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The B string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 3 | A♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 3rd fret on the high e string while the index finger holds the 1st fret on the D string, creating a wide stretch.
BaugM7/D♯ inversion · open position
B augmented major 7th is played in open position as × × 1 3 0 3: index finger on the D string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 3 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 3. The B string rings open. 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) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 2 | A♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 3 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
BaugM7/D♯ inversion · fret 4
B augmented major 7th is played at the 4th fret as × 6 5 4 4 6: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the A string at fret 6, middle finger on the D string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 6. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 3 | D♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 2 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
BaugM7/F♯♯ inversion · F♯♯ on top
B augmented major 7th is played in open position as 3 1 1 0 0 3: ring finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The G and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 3 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | A♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 2 | D♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | F♯♯ (♯5) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
BaugM7/F♯♯ inversion · B on top
B augmented major 7th is played in open position as 3 1 1 3 0 ×: ring finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 3. The B string rings open. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 3 | F♯♯ (♯5) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | A♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 2 | D♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
B augmented major 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, ♯5, 7. The augmented 5th, F♯♯, is what separates it from the B major 7th, where the 5th is F♯. The major 3rd and major 7th remain unchanged.
What goes wrong with B augmented major 7th?
- Letting the low E string ring instead of muting it.
- Fretting the high e string with the ring finger instead of the pinky, causing the note to go flat.
- Allowing the ring finger to touch the B string, muting the open string.
When to use it
B augmented major 7th works as a substitute for B major 7th when the melody moves to the ♯5. It fits jazz ballads and passages that need a brighter, more restless major sound.
Changing to and from B augmented major 7th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 2nd fret gives A augmented major 7th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 4th fret gives C augmented major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps B in the bass and is easiest to reach. The D♯ inversion starting on the 1st fret puts the major 3rd in the bass and gives a tighter, higher register.
Other B chords
Common questions
How is B augmented major 7th written?
B augmented major 7th is written B+M7, M7#5, maj+7, or BaugM7.
What is the difference between B augmented major 7th and B augmented?
B augmented major 7th adds the major 7th, A♯, to the B augmented triad B–D♯–F♯♯. The 7th creates a leading tone back to B major.
Why does the open E string get muted?
The open E string is muted because E is not a chord tone in B augmented major 7th. Playing it would add an unintended 5th below the root.