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E augmented major 7th chord on guitar (EaugMaj7)
Also called or written EaugMaj7, EaugM7, E+M7, EM7#5, Emaj+7, E augmented major seventh or E major seventh sharp five
E augmented major 7th contains E, G♯, B♯, and D♯. The open low E and high e strings ring against a barre on the D, G, and B strings, creating a wide stretch.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, 7
- Root positionE–G♯–B♯–D♯EaugMaj70-3-1-1-1-0
- First inversionG♯–B♯–D♯–EEaugMaj7/G♯×-11-10-9-9-11
- Second inversionB♯–D♯–E–G♯EaugMaj7/B♯×-3-1-1-1-0
- Third inversionD♯–E–G♯–B♯EaugMaj7/D♯×-×-1-1-1-0
How do you play an E augmented major 7th chord on guitar?
E augmented major 7th is played in open position as 0 3 1 1 1 0: barre your index finger across fret 1 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3. The low E and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 4 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the D, G, and B strings cleanly while the pinky reaches the 3rd fret on the A string, creating a wide stretch.
EaugM7/G♯ inversion
E augmented major 7th is played at the 9th fret as × 11 10 9 9 11: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the A string at fret 11, middle finger on the D string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 11. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 3 | G♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
EaugM7/B♯ inversion · open position
E augmented major 7th is played in open position as × 3 1 1 1 0: barre your index finger across fret 1 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3. The high e string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 4 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
EaugM7/B♯ inversion · fret 6
E augmented major 7th is played at the 6th fret as 8 7 6 8 × ×: ring finger on the low E string at fret 8, middle finger on the A string at fret 7, index finger on the D string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 8. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 3 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 2 | E (1) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
EaugM7/B♯ inversion · fret 9
E augmented major 7th is played at the 9th fret as × × 10 9 9 11: ring finger on the D string at fret 10, index finger on the G string at fret 9, middle finger on the B string at fret 9 and pinky 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 | 3 | B♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 | E (1) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 2 | G♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
Why it sounds like that
E augmented major 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, ♯5, 7. The augmented 5th, B♯, is what separates it from the E major 7th, where the 5th is B natural. The major 3rd and major 7th remain unchanged.
What goes wrong with E augmented major 7th?
- Letting the barre buzz on the D string.
- Fretting the A string with the ring finger instead of the pinky, causing the note to go sharp.
- Allowing the barre to mute the high e string.
When to use it
E augmented major 7th works as a substitute for E 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 E augmented major 7th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 7th fret gives D augmented major 7th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 10th fret gives F augmented major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps E in the bass and is the default. The G♯ inversion starting on the 9th fret puts the major 3rd in the bass and gives a tighter, higher register.
Other E chords
Common questions
How is E augmented major 7th written?
E augmented major 7th is written E+M7, M7#5, maj+7, or EaugM7.
What is the difference between E augmented major 7th and E augmented?
E augmented major 7th adds the major 7th, D♯, to the E augmented triad E–G♯–B♯. The 7th creates a leading tone back to E major.
Why does the barre cover only three strings?
The barre covers the D, G, and B strings to fret the 1st fret notes while leaving the open E strings to ring. This voicing keeps the root in the bass and the major 7th on top.