Amaj7 is A major with a G# added, the note a half step below the root. That one note takes the chord out of the campfire and into soul, bossa and soft pop: it sounds open and a little wistful, and unlike A7 it does not need to go anywhere. If you can play A, you are one finger away from it.
Amaj7 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: A major seventh
- Symbol: Amaj7
- Notes: A, C#, E, G#
- Where it belongs: IVmaj7 in E major, Imaj7 in A major, VImaj7 in C# minor, IIImaj7 in F# minor
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amaj7, open | x02120 | A E G# C# E | The A chord with one finger moved down a fret. The easiest way into the maj7 sound. |
| Amaj7, G# on top | x02224 | A E A C# G# | The major seventh in the highest voice, where you hear it most. Brighter and more singing. |
| Amaj7, fifth fret barre | 576655 | A E G# C# E A | The Emaj7 shape barred at the fifth fret. Full and warm on all six strings. |
| Amaj7, twelfth fret | x 12 14 13 14 12 | A E G# C# E | Movable A shape: first finger across the A and high E strings at 12, second on G at 13, third and fourth on D and B at 14. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
Amaj7 on the neck: every A, C#, E, G#
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Amaj7: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Amaj7.
From A to Amaj7 in one move
Start from the open A chord, x02220, played with the second, third and fourth fingers on the D, G and B strings, or however you usually hold it. Now look at the G string: its fret 2 note is A, the root. Move it down one fret to G# and you have Amaj7.
- Second finger on the fourth string (D) at fret 2: E, the fifth.
- First finger on the third string (G) at fret 1: G#, the major seventh.
- Third finger on the second string (B) at fret 2: C#, the third.
- Open A and open high E. Strum from the A string; the low E stays quiet.
Play A, then Amaj7, then A again, and listen to the G string: A, G#, A. Keep going one more step, A, Amaj7, A7, and the note falls A, G#, G. Each chord is one fret on one string away from the next. Land on D after the A7 and the line resolves.
The bright voicing: x02224
In x02120 the G# is buried in the middle of the chord. In x02224 it moves to the top string, at fret 4, and becomes the first thing the ear catches.
Lay the first finger across the D, G and B strings at fret 2 (that is A major on those strings), then reach the fourth finger to the high E at fret 4. If the mini barre is awkward, use the first, second and third fingers on the three strings at fret 2 instead. Leave the A string open for the root.
Progressions with Amaj7
Amaj7 is the I chord in A major and the IV chord in E major. Those two roles explain most of the progressions you will meet it in.
| Progression | Shapes | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Amaj7, Dmaj7 | x02120, xx0222 | I to IV in A, both as major sevenths. A soft two chord loop that can carry a whole verse. |
| Emaj7, Amaj7 | 021100, x02120 | I to IV in E. Amaj7 is the warm, open side of the pair. |
| Amaj7, F#m, Dmaj7, E | x02120, 244222, xx0222, 021100 or 022100 | I, vi, IV, V in A with color added. Play E or Emaj7 at the end depending on how smooth you want it. |
| A, Amaj7, A7, D | x02220, x02120, x02020, xx0232 | The falling line on the G string, landing on D. |
Two barre shapes for Amaj7
576655 is the open Emaj7 shape (021100) moved up five frets, with the first finger barring at fret 5. The fourth finger takes the A string at fret 7, the second and third fingers the D and G strings at fret 6. It is the fullest Amaj7 on the guitar, all six strings, root in the bass.
x 12 14 13 14 12 is the open Amaj7 shape moved up a whole octave, with the first finger playing the role of the nut at fret 12. The frets are narrow up there, so the shape is easier than it looks. It sounds tight and modern, and leaves the low end free for a bass player.
Both shapes are movable. Slide either one two frets down and you have Gmaj7; two frets up, Bmaj7. The barre chords page explains how the E and A shapes carry across the neck.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Amaj7 on guitar?
What notes are in an Amaj7 chord?
What is the difference between A7 and Amaj7?
Can I play Amaj7 instead of A?
Why does my Amaj7 sound like plain A?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.