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Learn › C Major 7 Chord on Guitar (Cmaj7)

New Released in April 2026

C Major 7 Chord on Guitar (Cmaj7)

To play Cmaj7 on guitar, press the strings shown below; some strings ring open. Then strum from the 5th string down: the notes C, E, G, B ring together. Here is the shape, finger by finger, plus the chords you will play next to it.

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  • MIDI keyboard
  • Digital or acoustic piano
  • Guitar
  • Computer, phone or tablet
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Cmaj7 C E G B

How to play Cmaj7 on guitar

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Cmaj7 C E G B

Finger by finger

  • Ring: 5th string (A), fret 3
  • Middle: 4th string (D), fret 2

Strings to play

x32000: × = do not play, 0 = open string.

Where Cmaj7 is used

Cmaj7 is the home chord of C major with a soft extra note: many players end a song on it instead of plain C.

The notes inside Cmaj7, string by string

5th string (A)fret 3: C
4th string (D)fret 2: E
3rd string (G)open: G
2nd string (B)open: B
1st string (high E)open: E

From C to Cmaj7: 2nd string (B): fret 1 → open.

Slide this shape along the neck: fret 1 = Bbmaj7, fret 2 = Bmaj7, fret 4 = C#maj7, fret 5 = Dmaj7.

Cmaj7 and its neighbours

These chords share notes with Cmaj7 and sound right next to it. Practise switching between them.

C · F · G

Cmaj7 higher up the neck

3fr×
Cmaj7 C E G B

Same chord, different place: handy when the next chord is up the neck too.

ChordRunner on a phone next to an acoustic guitar, with a chord block on screen

Practise Cmaj7 with the microphone

Practise Cmaj7 in ChordRunner: when its symbol appears, play C, E, G, B and the microphone or MIDI keyboard confirms it. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

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Cmaj7 on piano · Easy guitar chords · Guitar chord game

Common questions

Is Cmaj7 easy on guitar?

Yes, it is one of the open chords beginners learn first. Start slowly, check that every string rings, then practise switching to C.

What is the difference between Cmaj7 and C on guitar?

Cmaj7 adds one note to C: B, on top of C E G. From C to Cmaj7: 2nd string (B): fret 1 → open.

Which fingers do I use for Cmaj7?

Ring finger: 5th string (A), fret 3, middle finger: 4th string (D), fret 2.

Will the game recognise my Cmaj7?

If C, E, G, B ring together, yes: ChordRunner listens through the microphone and also accepts a USB MIDI keyboard.

Your instrument is the controller.

ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

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