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F♯ major 7th chord on guitar (F♯maj7)
Also called or written F♯maj7 or F♯M7
F♯ major 7th contains F♯, A♯, C♯, and E♯. The 2nd fret shape uses a barre across the second fret, making it a demanding grip.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7
- Root positionF♯–A♯–C♯–E♯F♯maj72-4-3-3-2-2
- First inversionA♯–C♯–E♯–F♯F♯maj7/A♯6-4-4-6-6-×
- Second inversionC♯–E♯–F♯–A♯F♯maj7/C♯×-4-3-3-2-2
- Third inversionE♯–F♯–A♯–C♯F♯maj7/E♯×-×-3-3-2-2
How do you play an F♯ major 7th chord on guitar?
F♯ major 7th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 4 3 3 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, pinky finger on the A string at fret 4, middle finger on the D string at fret 3 and ring finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 4 | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 2 | E♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 3 | A♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret all six strings cleanly while the pinky reaches the 4th fret of the A string.
4th fret
F♯ major 7th is played at the 4th fret as × × 4 6 6 6: index finger on the D string at fret 4, middle finger on the G string at fret 6, ring finger on the B string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 6. 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) | 4 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 2 | C♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 3 | E♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 4 | A♯ (3) |
9th fret
F♯ major 7th is played at the 9th fret as × 9 11 10 11 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the D string at fret 11, middle finger on the G string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 11. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 2 | E♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 4 | A♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
F♯maj7/A♯ inversion · fret 4
F♯ major 7th is played at the 4th fret as 6 4 4 6 6 ×: barre your index finger across fret 4, middle finger on the low E string at fret 6, ring finger on the G string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 6. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 2 | A♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 4 | E♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
F♯maj7/A♯ inversion · fret 6
F♯ major 7th is played at the 6th fret as 6 8 8 6 7 6: barre your index finger across fret 6, ring finger on the A string at fret 8, pinky finger on the D string at fret 8 and middle finger on the B string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 3 | E♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 4 | A♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (3) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ major 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 7. The major 7th interval from F♯ to E♯ gives the chord its characteristic color. Compare it with F♯ major, which lacks the 7th.
What goes wrong with F♯ major 7th?
- Under-barring the high E string causes a dead note.
- Flattening the middle finger onto the G string mutes the G.
- Letting the pinky touch the D string deadens the D.
When to use it
F♯ major 7th is the tonic in F♯ major, so it works in the I–IV–V–I progression F♯–B–C♯–F♯. It also suits the I–V–vi–IV of F♯–C♯–D♯ minor–B. Use it for jazz, pop ballads, or any style needing a smooth major sound.
Changing to and from F♯ major 7th
- Sliding the 2nd fret shape down one fret to the 1st fret gives F major 7th.
- Move to G major 7th by sliding the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret shape keeps F♯ as the bass note and is the default. The 4th fret shape drops the low strings for a lighter texture, while the 9th fret shape uses a barre for a fuller sound.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ major 7th written?
F♯ major 7th is written as F♯M7 or F♯maj7. The ASCII root spelling is F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ major 7th and F♯ major?
F♯ major 7th adds the E♯, a major 7th above F♯. F♯ major contains only F♯, A♯, and C♯.
Why does the 2nd fret shape use a full barre?
The full barre allows all six strings to sound, giving a fuller voicing.