What notes are in a Cmaj7 chord?

Cmaj7 contains four notes: C (root), E (major third), G (perfect fifth), and B (major seventh).

How is Cmaj7 different from C7?

Only the seventh changes. Cmaj7 has B natural (a major 7th from C); C7 has B♭ (a minor 7th, also called a dominant 7th). The half-step makes Cmaj7 sound stable and dreamy; C7 sounds tense and wants to resolve to F.

What does the "maj7" symbol mean?

It means major 7th chord — a major triad with a major 7th interval added on top. Some scores write it as Δ7 or M7; "Cmaj7" and "CΔ7" and "CM7" are all the same chord.

Where does Cmaj7 appear in famous music?

Bossa nova and jazz standards constantly: "Girl from Ipanema" (in F but using maj7 voicings), "Misty," "All The Things You Are." Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky," Steely Dan's "Aja" — anywhere a smooth, complete I chord is needed.

C major 7 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

C major 7 (Cmaj7) — C, E, G, B — is one of the most foundational chords in jazz harmony. It's C major with the 7th degree of the C scale (B) added on top, creating a smooth, complete-sounding sonority that defines the I chord of major-key jazz. Bill Evans built entire arrangements around it; "Cantaloupe Island" and "Maiden Voyage" open with related Cmaj7 colours.

Intervals

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

C→Emajor 3rd4 semitones
E→Gminor 3rd3 semitones
G→Bmajor 3rd4 semitones

On the keyboard

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

On the guitar

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

Common mistakes

The single biggest trap with Cmaj7 is the 7th — B natural, not B♭. Replacing B with B♭ produces C7 (dominant 7), a completely different chord with the urgent "needs to resolve" sound. The maj7 distinction (a half-step higher than a dom7) is what gives Cmaj7 its lush, stable character. On guitar, the open Cmaj7 voicing (x32000) is one of the easiest jazz chords to learn.

In context

Cmaj7 is the I chord in C major (jazz). The full ii–V–I in C is Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7 — the most-used progression in jazz, underlying "Autumn Leaves" (in the relative minor), "All The Things You Are," and countless standards. Cmaj7 also serves as the IV chord of G major (giving a lydian colour) and the bVI of E minor.

Drill it

The C 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 a Cmaj7 chord?: Cmaj7 contains four notes: C (root), E (major third), G (perfect fifth), and B (major seventh).
How is Cmaj7 different from C7?: Only the seventh changes. Cmaj7 has B natural (a major 7th from C); C7 has B♭ (a minor 7th, also called a dominant 7th). The half-step makes Cmaj7 sound stable and dreamy; C7 sounds tense and wants to resolve to F.
What does the "maj7" symbol mean?: It means major 7th chord — a major triad with a major 7th interval added on top. Some scores write it as Δ7 or M7; "Cmaj7" and "CΔ7" and "CM7" are all the same chord.
Where does Cmaj7 appear in famous music?: Bossa nova and jazz standards constantly: "Girl from Ipanema" (in F but using maj7 voicings), "Misty," "All The Things You Are." Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky," Steely Dan's "Aja" — anywhere a smooth, complete I chord is needed.