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G major 7th chord on guitar (Gmaj7)
Also called or written Gmaj7 or GM7
G major 7th contains G, B, D, and F♯. The open position requires a wide stretch and precise finger independence.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7
- Root positionG–B–D–F♯Gmaj73-2-0-0-0-2
- First inversionB–D–F♯–GGmaj7/B×-2-0-0-0-2
- Second inversionD–F♯–G–BGmaj7/D×-×-0-0-0-2
- Third inversionF♯–G–B–DGmaj7/F♯2-2-0-0-0-2
How do you play a G major 7th chord on guitar?
G major 7th is played in open position as 3 2 0 0 0 2: ring finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 2 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 2. The D, G and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (3) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (7) |
AdvancedThe open position requires a wide stretch between the ring and index fingers while keeping three open strings clean.
Open · 3-2-0-0-3-2
G major 7th is played in open position as 3 2 0 0 3 2: ring finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 2, pinky finger on the B string at fret 3 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 2. The D and G strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 | B (3) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (7) |
3rd fret
G major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 4 4 3 3: barre your index finger across fret 3, pinky finger on the A string at fret 5, middle finger on the D string at fret 4 and ring finger on the G string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 2 | F♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 3 | B (3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 1 (barre) | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
5th fret
G major 7th is played at the 5th fret as × × 5 7 7 7: index finger on the D string at fret 5, middle finger on the G string at fret 7, ring finger on the B string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 7. 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) | 5 | 1 | G (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 2 | D (5) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 3 | F♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 4 | B (3) |
10th fret
G major 7th is played at the 10th fret as × 10 12 11 12 10: barre your index finger across fret 10, ring finger on the D string at fret 12, middle finger on the G string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 12. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 10 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 3 | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 2 | F♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 4 | B (3) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (5) |
Why it sounds like that
G major 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 7. The major 7th interval from G to F♯ gives the chord its bright, shimmering quality. Compare it to G major, which omits the F♯.
What goes wrong with G major 7th?
- The ring finger touches the A string, muting it.
- The middle finger touches the B string, deadening the open note.
- The index finger collapses onto the D string, muting it.
When to use it
G major 7th is the tonic in G major. Use it in progressions like G–C–D–G, the I–IV–V–I, or G–D–Em–C, the I–V–vi–IV. It suits folk, country, and pop rock.
Changing to and from G major 7th
- From G major 7th to F major 7th: slide the whole shape down two frets, keeping the same finger pattern.
- From G major 7th to A major 7th: slide the whole shape up two frets, keeping the same finger pattern.
Which voicing to use
The open position is the most common, but the 3rd fret barre gives a warmer tone with the root on the low E string. The 5th fret shape is a compact voicing without the low strings. The 10th fret barre offers a higher register with the root on the A string.
Other G chords
Common questions
How is G major 7th written?
G major 7th is written as GM7 or Gmaj7. No enharmonic spelling is needed.
What is the difference between G major 7th and G dominant 7th?
G major 7th has a major 7th interval (F♯), while G dominant 7th has a minor 7th (F). The major 7th sounds more resolved and less bluesy.
Why does the open G major 7th shape include the low E string?
The low E string is fretted at the 3rd fret to play the note G, which is the root. This gives the chord a full, rich bass.
Can G major 7th be played as a barre chord?
Yes, the 3rd fret position is a barre chord with the root on the low E string. It is movable and useful for higher voicings.