Emaj7 chord on guitar

Emaj7 is E, G♯, B and D♯. The easiest shape is 0-2-1-1-0-0. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

How to play Emaj7 on guitar

Shape 1, 0-2-1-1-0-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Index finger: D string, 1st fret (D♯).
2. Middle finger: G string, 1st fret (G♯).
3. Ring finger: A string, 2nd fret (B).
4. Let the open low E, B and high E strings ring (E, B and E).

• If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.

Other ways to play Emaj7

• 12-14-13-13-12-12: barre shape at the 12th fret, medium. The root is on the low E string, so you can slide this shape to play any major seventh chord.
• x-7-9-8-9-7: barre shape at the 7th fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the Amaj7 shape moved up the neck.
• x-7-6-4-4-4: partial barre shape at the 4th fret, medium. Same notes, stacked differently, so it sounds a little different.

Emaj7 the capo way

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open Dmaj7 shape (x-x-0-2-2-2), capo on the 4th fret and play the open Cmaj7 shape (x-3-2-0-0-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open Amaj7 shape (x-0-2-1-2-0). The chord sounds as Emaj7 because the capo raises every string by 2 half steps.

Changing from Emaj7 to the chords around it

Songs rarely hold Emaj7 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

• Amaj7 (IV in E major): Emaj7 (0-2-1-1-0-0) to Amaj7 (x-0-2-1-2-0): the index finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, move the middle finger to the D string, 2nd fret, your ring finger lands on the B string, 2nd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share E and G♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. Amaj7 on guitar
• B7 (V in E major): Emaj7 (0-2-1-1-0-0) to B7 (x-2-1-2-0-2): your index finger stays put, the middle finger goes to the A string, 2nd fret, your ring finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the high E string, 2nd fret. Listen for B and D♯, which stay put while the rest moves. B7 on guitar
• C♯m7 (vi in E major): Emaj7 (0-2-1-1-0-0) to C♯m7 (x-4-2-1-0-0): the index finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, your middle finger lands on the D string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the A string, 4th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. The two chords share E, G♯ and B, which is why the change sounds smooth. C♯m7 on guitar

Emaj7 is a major seventh chord: a major triad with the note a half step below the octave added. Emaj7 works as a relaxed home chord; swap it in for plain E at the end of a phrase. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

A short Emaj7 drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: E, B, D♯, G♯, B, E. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Finish by moving between 0-2-1-1-0-0 and 12-14-13-13-12-12 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Emaj7 in context

• I7 in E major
• IV7 in B major
• III7 in C♯ minor
• VI7 in G♯ minor

In E major, ii–V–I on guitar is F♯m7 (2-4-2-2-2-2), B7 (x-2-1-2-0-2) and Emaj7 (0-2-1-1-0-0). About the jazz cadence.

Emaj7 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try Emaj7 on ukulele or Emaj7 on piano, or compare them on the Emaj7 chord page.

Next to try on guitar

• E
• E7
• E6
• Eadd9
• Em7

Other major seventh chords

• Cmaj7
• C♯maj7
• Dmaj7
• E♭maj7
• Fmaj7
• F♯maj7
• Gmaj7
• A♭maj7
• Amaj7
• B♭maj7
• Bmaj7

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Emaj7. Updated September 2026. Print this chord