Fmaj7 Chord on Guitar
Fmaj7 F A C E 3 shapes Open chord
Chord diagrams
How to play Fmaj7 on guitar
The Fmaj7 chord (Fmaj7) is made of F, A, C, E - 1 3 5 7. On a guitar in standard tuning the easiest way to play it is the open shape xx3210, with no barre. Below are 3 shapes in all, from the lowest on the neck to the highest; the same chord sounds brighter the higher you play it.
E-shape, fret 1 1x221x
A-shape barre, fret 8 x8(10)9(10)8
Strings from the low E (left) to the high E (right). Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little. x = do not play the string, o = open string, a bar = one finger across several strings.
Notes
What notes are in Fmaj7?
The Fmaj7 chord has 4 different notes: F, A, C, E. The major triad plus a major seventh (11 half steps above F), one fret under the octave: soft and open. A guitar chord rarely has as many strings as notes, so shapes double some of them: every shape here leaves at least one string unplayed - watch the x marks. Mute the strings marked x with the side of a fretting finger, so that only the chord rings.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| F | Root | 0 |
| A | Major 3rd | 4 |
| C | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| E | Major 7th | 11 |
Chords that go with it
Chords in the key of F major
The seven chords built on the F major scale, with the easiest shape of each. I, IV and V are the three major chords that carry most songs in this key; vi is its relative minor.
A progression to strum
- I - V - vi - IVF - C - Dm - B♭
Questions
Frequently asked
How do you play Fmaj7 on guitar?
The open shape xx3210: D string fret 3 (finger 3), G string fret 2 (finger 2), B string fret 1 (finger 1); let high E ring open, do not play low E and A.
What notes are in the Fmaj7 chord?
The Fmaj7 chord (Fmaj7) is made of F, A, C, E. Its formula is 1 3 5 7. On the guitar, some of those notes are played twice on different strings.
Is there a barre version of Fmaj7?
Yes: a-shape barre, fret 8 (x8(10)9(10)8). Barre shapes have no open strings, so you can cut the sound short with your fretting hand.
Keep playing
Strum Fmaj7, then build a song around it
The guitar on this page is free, with no account. GOONS Studio adds the rest of the band in the browser - a sampled piano with chord pads, drum machines, a bass synth and a sequencer - with a 7-day free trial, no card required.