G#maj7 is a G# major chord with a major seventh on top, the soft, slightly dreamy sound of ballads and jazz. Its notes are G#, B#, D# and F##. Two of those look strange: B# is the same pitch as C, and F## the same pitch as G. That is why most charts write the chord Abmaj7, spelled Ab, C, Eb, G. Same chord, same shapes.
G#maj7 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: G sharp major seventh
- Symbol: G#maj7
- Notes: G#, B#, D#, F##
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| G#maj7, four strings | xx6543 | G# B# D# F## | No barre, one finger per fret. The open Fmaj7 shape moved up three frets, with G# on the D string. |
| G#maj7, jazz shape | 4x554x | G# F## B# D# | Root in the bass and all four notes, no barre. Mute the A string and high E with the fingers that are already down. |
| G#maj7, barre at the fourth fret | 465544 | G# D# F## B# D# G# | The open Emaj7 shape barred at fret 4. The G# barre chord with the D string lowered one fret. |
| G#maj7, eleventh fret | x 11 13 12 13 11 | G# D# F## B# D# | The Amaj7 shape at fret 11: first finger across, then fret 13 on the fourth string, fret 12 on the third, fret 13 on the second. |
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.
G#maj7 on the neck: every G#, C, D#, G
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of G#maj7: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still G#maj7.
How to play G#maj7, step by step
1. One finger per fret: xx6543
This is the open Fmaj7, xx3210, moved up three frets: the open high E of Fmaj7 becomes fret 3, so every string now needs a finger. First finger on the high E at fret 3, second on the B string at fret 4, third on the G string at fret 5, fourth on the D string at fret 6. The fingers fall in a diagonal line. Strum from the D string.
2. The jazz shape: 4x554x
Second finger on the low E at fret 4 (G#), third finger on the D string at fret 5 (F##), fourth finger on the G string at fret 5 (B#), first finger on the B string at fret 4 (D#). The second finger leans on the A string to mute it, and the first finger's pad touches the high E. You get the root in the bass and all four notes, with no barre.
3. The full barre: 465544
Start from the G# barre chord, 466544. The only change is the D string: fret 5 instead of fret 6. That lowered note is the major seventh. Fingering: first finger across fret 4, fourth finger on the A string at fret 6, second and third fingers on the D and G strings at fret 5.
G#maj7 next to G# and Gmaj7
| Chord | Notes | Common shape |
|---|---|---|
| G#maj7 (Abmaj7) | G#, B#, D#, F## | 465544 |
| G# (Ab) | G#, B#, D# | 466544 |
| Gmaj7 | G, B, D, F# | 3x0002 |
Watch the sharp: a chart that says Gmaj7 wants a chord a half step lower, played open. The Gmaj7 chord has its own page.
Where it is used
In practice you will read it as Abmaj7. In the key of Ab it is the home chord, the Imaj7; in the key of Eb it is the IVmaj7, the chord that opens up the sound before the music comes back. That IV to I move, Abmaj7 to Eb, is a common way for a ballad to come home.
The barre shape is the open Emaj7, 021100, moved up four frets, and the four string shape is Fmaj7 moved up three. Learn the major seventh sound first on Cmaj7, the one most players meet before any other.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play a G#maj7 chord on guitar?
Is G#maj7 the same as Abmaj7?
What notes are in G#maj7?
What is the difference between G#maj7 and G#7?
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.