What notes are in an Amaj7 chord?

Amaj7 contains four notes: A (root), C♯ (major third), E (perfect fifth), and G♯ (major seventh).

How do you play Amaj7 on guitar?

The open voicing x02120: mute the low E, then A (open 5th), E (2nd fret 4th string), G♯ (1st fret 3rd string), C♯ (2nd fret 2nd string), and open high E.

How is Amaj7 different from A7?

Only the seventh changes. Amaj7 has G♯; A7 has G natural. Amaj7 sounds dreamy and stable; A7 sounds bluesy and pulls toward D.

What pieces use Amaj7?

Many bossa-nova standards: "Wave," "Corcovado" (in C major but with A♭/A-related modulations), and countless jazz-pop tunes in A. The Beatles' "Something" hovers around A major and uses related extended voicings.

A major 7 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

A major 7 (Amaj7) — A, C♯, E, G♯ — is A major with a major 7th on top. The chord is a guitar favourite because the open A string can serve as the bass; the standard open voicing (x02120) is one of the easiest jazz chords to finger.

Intervals

The A major 7 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

A→C#major 3rd4 semitones
C#→Eminor 3rd3 semitones
E→G#major 3rd4 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the A major 7 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the A major 7 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

Common mistakes

Amaj7 has G♯ as its 7th — the leading tone of A. Replacing G♯ with G natural produces A7 (dominant), which is the famous blues-cadence chord. The half-step shift completely changes the function. On guitar, the open Amaj7 voicing (x02120) gives a clean, lush sound; the closed-position 5th-fret E-shape barre is the most common alternative.

In context

Amaj7 is the I chord in A major. The ii–V–I runs Bm7 → E7 → Amaj7. The chord also serves as IV of E major and bVI of C♯ minor. Many bossa-nova standards modulate to A major for the bridge (the key sits comfortably for both guitar and vocals), making Amaj7 a constant presence in the bossa-nova repertoire.

Drill it

The A major 7 chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

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Frequently asked

What notes are in an Amaj7 chord?: Amaj7 contains four notes: A (root), C♯ (major third), E (perfect fifth), and G♯ (major seventh).
How do you play Amaj7 on guitar?: The open voicing x02120: mute the low E, then A (open 5th), E (2nd fret 4th string), G♯ (1st fret 3rd string), C♯ (2nd fret 2nd string), and open high E.
How is Amaj7 different from A7?: Only the seventh changes. Amaj7 has G♯; A7 has G natural. Amaj7 sounds dreamy and stable; A7 sounds bluesy and pulls toward D.
What pieces use Amaj7?: Many bossa-nova standards: "Wave," "Corcovado" (in C major but with A♭/A-related modulations), and countless jazz-pop tunes in A. The Beatles' "Something" hovers around A major and uses related extended voicings.