Learn › C Major 7th Chord on Piano (Cmaj7)

New Released in April 2026

C Major 7th Chord on Piano (Cmaj7)

The C major 7th chord (Cmaj7) on the piano has four notes: C, E, G, B. It is a C triad with a major seventh, B, on top. Formula 1 3 5 7. Below: the four positions, fingering, a three-note voicing and where Cmaj7 goes next.

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Cmaj7 C E G B

Cmaj7 in keys and progressions

Cmaj7 is the Imaj7 of C major and the IVmaj7 of G major.
It is where a ii-V-I in C major lands: Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7.
Inside Cmaj7 sits Em (E G B): play Em over C in the bass and you get Cmaj7.

ii-V-I: Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7 · C

Four ways to play Cmaj7

A seventh chord has four notes, so it has four positions. Each one is still Cmaj7.

Cmaj7 C E G B

Root position: C E G B

Cmaj7 E G B C

1st inversion: E G B C

Cmaj7 G B C E

2nd inversion: G B C E

Cmaj7 B C E G

3rd inversion: B C E G

A 5-minute Cmaj7 routine

Play C, E, G, B slowly in root position and say "Cmaj7" each time.
Walk up through the inversions (E G B C, G B C E, B C E G) without lifting the whole hand.
Loop Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7 until the change into and out of Cmaj7 is clean.
Finally meet it in random order between other chords, with a check on every note.

Short daily rounds fix Cmaj7 in memory faster than one long practice a week.

Four 7th chords on C

Play the four in a row and listen to each colour.

Chord	Notes	What changes
C7	C E G Bb	major 3rd, minor 7th
Cmaj7	C E G B	major 3rd, major 7th
Cm7	C Eb G Bb	minor 3rd, minor 7th
Cm7b5	C Eb Gb Bb	minor 3rd, flat 5th, minor 7th
Cdim7	C Eb Gb Bbb	minor 3rd, flat 5th, 7th one key lower again

Cmaj7 fingering, both hands

Hand	C	E	G	B
Right hand	1 (thumb)	2	3	5 (little)
Left hand	5 (little)	3	2	1 (thumb)

Too much stretch? Play C alone in the left hand and E G B in the right.

Cmaj7 without the fifth

Cmaj7 C E B

Root, third, seventh: C E B. It is the shape to learn first, and it moves smoothly to the next chord.

ChordRunner showing a chord block while hands play the piano

Practise Cmaj7 by playing

ChordRunner sends Cmaj7 at you between other chords and checks every note you play. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

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All piano chords · Piano chord chart

Common questions

What notes are in the C major 7th chord?

Cmaj7 has four notes: C, E, G, B. Root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh (formula 1 3 5 7).

What are the inversions of Cmaj7?

Root position C E G B, 1st inversion E G B C, 2nd inversion G B C E and 3rd inversion B C E G. Every position is still Cmaj7.

Where does Cmaj7 go?

Cmaj7 is the Imaj7 of C major and the IVmaj7 of G major. It is where a ii-V-I in C major lands: Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7.

Can I practise Cmaj7 with a MIDI keyboard?

Yes. In ChordRunner a USB MIDI keyboard is detected automatically, and an acoustic piano works through the microphone. Cmaj7 counts in any inversion, as long as C, E, G, B sound together.

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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C Major 7th Chord on Piano (Cmaj7)

Cmaj7 in keys and progressions

Four ways to play Cmaj7

A 5-minute Cmaj7 routine

Four 7th chords on C

Cmaj7 fingering, both hands

Cmaj7 without the fifth

Practise Cmaj7 by playing

Common questions

What notes are in the C major 7th chord?

What are the inversions of Cmaj7?

Where does Cmaj7 go?

Can I practise Cmaj7 with a MIDI keyboard?

Your instrument is the controller.

Keep learning

Piano Chord Chart: Every Chord in All 12 Keys

C7 Chord on Piano (C Dominant 7th)

C Minor 7th Chord on Piano (Cm7)

C Half-Diminished Chord on Piano (Cm7b5)

C Diminished 7th Chord on Piano (Cdim7)

C Major Chord on Piano (C)