The E maj7 guitar chord is a rich and vibrant chord that brings a sophisticated and jazzy flavor to your guitar playing. Belonging to the family of major seventh chords, the Emaj7 is built upon four notes: E, G#, B, and D#. These notes, derived from the E major scale, create a unique and pleasing harmonic texture that’s widely used in various musical genres, from jazz to pop.
If you’re looking to expand your chord vocabulary beyond basic major and minor chords, the Emaj7 is an excellent chord to learn. It adds a layer of harmonic complexity and beauty that can elevate your songwriting, improvisations, and overall guitar skills. Whether you’re comping in a jazz tune or adding color to a pop ballad, understanding and playing the Emaj7 chord will be a valuable asset.
To truly master the Emaj7 chord, it’s helpful to understand the music theory behind chord construction. Major seventh chords, like the Emaj7, are created by stacking specific intervals. In this case, we use the 1st (root), major 3rd, perfect 5th, and major 7th intervals from the E major scale. This formula gives the Emaj7 its characteristic sound and distinguishes it from simpler chords.
In this guide, we’ll explore various ways to play the Emaj7 chord on the guitar. We’ll provide chord diagrams and fretboard patterns for different positions, making it easy for you to find fingerings that suit your playing style and musical context. We’ll also touch upon how to invert chords to discover even more voicings and sonic possibilities for the Emaj7.
While the Emaj7 chord might seem a bit more advanced than fundamental guitar chords, don’t be discouraged. With focused practice and the right guidance, you’ll find that it’s within your reach. Adding the Emaj7 to your repertoire will open doors to playing a wider range of songs and exploring more intricate chord progressions.
Ready to explore the world of the Emaj7 chord? Let’s dive in and discover its beautiful sound and versatile positions on the guitar.
Understanding the Notes and Formula
The Emaj7 chord is composed of the following notes:
- E (Root – 1)
- G# (Major Third – 3)
- B (Perfect Fifth – 5)
- D# (Major Seventh – 7)
These notes are derived from the Major Seventh Chord Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 7. This formula, applied to the E major scale, gives us the specific notes that create the Emaj7 chord. The major seventh interval (D# in this case) is what gives the chord its distinctive “maj7” sound, which is often described as warm, jazzy, and sophisticated.
Exploring Emaj7 Chord Positions
Chord diagrams are invaluable tools for learning guitar chords. They visually represent the fretboard and indicate where to place your fingers to play a specific chord. Below, we’ll explore several positions for the Emaj7 chord, ranging from open positions to barre chord shapes. Remember to learn how to read chord diagrams to effectively use these resources.
If you find barre chords challenging, our Bar Chords Tips tutorial offers helpful techniques and exercises to improve your barre chord skills. For a text-based representation of these diagrams, you can also visit our accessible chords page.
Position 1: Open Position
This is a common and relatively easy way to play the Emaj7 chord, especially for beginners. It utilizes open strings and is often used in folk, pop, and jazz styles.
Emaj7 Open Position 1 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram open position 1, showing finger placement on guitar fretboard for E major 7th chord.
Position 2: Movable Shape
This position is a movable barre chord shape, meaning you can slide it up and down the neck to play different major 7th chords. It’s based on an E shape barre chord.
Emaj7 Movable Position 2 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram movable position 2, barre chord shape for E major 7th guitar chord, fretboard visualization.
Position 3: Open Voicing
Another open position for Emaj7, this voicing offers a slightly different sound compared to Position 1, utilizing a higher register.
Emaj7 Open Position 3 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram open position 3, alternative guitar chord shape for E major 7th, clear finger placement guide.
Position 4: Open with Bass Note
This open position incorporates the open E string as the bass note, providing a full and resonant Emaj7 sound.
Emaj7 Open Position 1 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram open position 4 with bass note, guitar chord chart for E major 7th in open voicing.
Position 5: Barre Chord Shape
A common barre chord shape for Emaj7, this position is movable and provides a solid and powerful sound.
Emaj7 Barre Chord Position 5 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram barre chord position 5, movable guitar chord shape for E major 7th on fretboard.
Position 6: Movable Barre Shape
Another movable barre chord shape, this position offers a different voicing and feel for the Emaj7 chord, based on an A shape barre.
Emaj7 Movable Barre Position 6 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram movable barre position 6, alternative barre guitar chord for E major 7th.
Position 7: Barre with Open String
This barre chord shape incorporates an open string, creating a unique voicing for the Emaj7 chord.
Emaj7 Barre with Open String Position 7 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram barre with open string position 7, unique voicing for E major 7th guitar chord.
Position 8: Barre Shape High Register
This barre chord position allows you to play the Emaj7 chord higher up the fretboard, offering a brighter and more cutting sound.
Emaj7 Barre High Register Position 8 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram barre high register position 8, higher fretboard position for E major 7th guitar chord.
Position 9: Open Barre Hybrid
This position blends open strings with a partial barre, creating an interesting and resonant Emaj7 voicing.
Emaj7 Open Barre Hybrid Position 9 Guitar Chord Diagram
Alt text: Emaj7 chord diagram open barre hybrid position 9, resonant guitar chord voicing for E major 7th.
Explore more guitar chords in our extensive all guitar chords online library. For a convenient offline reference, download our Free Guitar Chords Chart Pdf.
Emaj7 Chord Tones Across the Fretboard
The fretboard map below visualizes the notes of the Emaj7 chord across the guitar neck. This can help you understand the chord’s construction and create your own voicings and variations.
[Fretboard map image is not directly representable in markdown, but this section is noted.]
By understanding the notes and positions of the Emaj7 chord, you can begin to incorporate this beautiful and versatile chord into your guitar playing. Experiment with different positions, listen to how the chord sounds in various musical contexts, and enjoy the journey of expanding your musical vocabulary!
Play Emaj7 and Other Maj7 Chords
C maj7 | D maj7 | E maj7 | F maj7 | G maj7 | A maj7 | B maj7 | C#maj7 | D#maj7 | F#maj7 | G#maj7 | A#maj7 | Abmaj7 | Bbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 | Gbmaj7
