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C minor major 7th chord on guitar (CmMaj7)
Also called or written CmMaj7, Cminmaj7, Cmmaj7, CmM7, C Minor Sharp 7 or C Minor ♯7
C minor major 7th is built from C, E♭, G, and B. The open voicing uses two open strings, giving it a slightly airy but tense sound.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7
- Root positionC–E♭–G–BCmMaj7×-3-1-0-0-3
- First inversionE♭–G–B–CCmMaj7/E♭11-10-10-12-12-×
- Second inversionG–B–C–E♭CmMaj7/G3-2-1-0-1-×
- Third inversionB–C–E♭–GCmMaj7/B×-2-1-0-1-3
How do you play a C minor major 7th chord on guitar?
C minor major 7th is played in open position as × 3 1 0 0 3: middle finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the D string at fret 1 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 3. The G and B strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 2 | C (1) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (7) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 3 | G (5) |
AdvancedThe open voicing requires precise finger placement to avoid muting the open G and B strings while fretting the adjacent A and high e strings.
3rd fret
C minor major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as × 3 5 4 4 3: barre your index finger across fret 3, pinky finger on the D string at fret 5, middle finger on the G string at fret 4 and ring finger on the B string at fret 4. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 4 | G (5) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 2 | B (7) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 3 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
8th fret
C minor major 7th is played at the 8th fret as 8 10 9 8 8 8: barre your index finger across fret 8, pinky finger on the A string at fret 10 and ring finger on the D string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
| 5 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (7) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 8 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
10th fret
C minor major 7th is played at the 10th fret as × × 10 12 12 11: index finger on the D string at fret 10, ring finger on the G string at fret 12, pinky finger on the B string at fret 12 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 11. 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) | 10 | 1 | C (1) |
| 3 (G) | 12 | 3 | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 4 | B (7) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (♭3) |
Cminmaj7/E♭ inversion
C minor major 7th is played at the 10th fret as 11 10 10 12 12 ×: barre your index finger across fret 10, middle finger on the low E string at fret 11, ring finger on the G string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 12. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 10 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
| 3 (G) | 12 | 3 | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 4 | B (7) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
C minor major 7th combines a minor triad (1, ♭3, 5) with a major seventh (7), giving the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7. The major seventh B is what gives this chord its distinctive, unresolved quality. Compare it to C minor, which has only the triad and sounds more settled.
What goes wrong with C minor major 7th?
- Letting the low E string ring, which is not a chord tone.
- Flattening the index finger onto the G string, deadening it.
- Pressing the ring finger against the B string, stopping it from ringing.
When to use it
C minor major 7th works as a tonic in C minor, often moving to C minor or C suspended 4th. It suits noir jazz, classical-flavored passages, and dramatic ballads.
Changing to and from C minor major 7th
- Move to C minor by lifting the index finger from the D string, leaving the other fingers in place.
Which voicing to use
The open position is the easiest and has C in the bass. The 8th fret barre voicing gives a fuller sound with the root on the low E string. The 10th fret voicing omits the low strings for a tighter, higher-register color.
Other C chords
Common questions
How is C minor major 7th written?
C minor major 7th is written Cmmaj7, Cminmaj7, or CmM7. The symbol mmaj7 is also used.
Why does the open voicing mute the low E string?
The open low E is not a chord tone, so it must be muted to avoid dissonance. Muting it keeps the bass note as C.
How does C minor major 7th differ from C minor 7th?
The displayed shape preserves only the supplied notes and interval formula. The major seventh creates a sharper, more leading-tone pull.
What scale does C minor major 7th come from?
C minor major 7th appears in C harmonic minor and C melodic minor scales. The raised seventh degree of those scales is the B in this chord.