Amaj7 Guitar Chord

Amaj7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

Standard

Arpeggio for this shape

P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)

From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios

Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.

Speed:

What sets Amaj7 apart

Amaj7 is built from A, C#, E and G#. A is the root, C# the major third, E the fifth and G# the major seventh. Said aloud, its notes are A, C sharp, E and G sharp.

String by string, low to high, it plays A, E, G#, C# and E. E appears twice in the main shape, and it is the chord's fifth. It runs from A on string 5 up to E on string 1.

The open strings add notes to Amaj7 too. String 5 gives A and string 1 gives E. String 6 is not played. Your hand covers two frets, from 1 to 2. There is one more position, starting at fret 5.

Change only string 3 in Amaj7 and you have A. Inside Amaj7 sits a complete C#m chord, made of C#, E and G#. Moving to E7, you keep one finger down.

Amaj7 belongs to four keys. In A major it is the I, in E major the IV and in C# minor the VI. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01A A - F#m - Bm - E7 02C#m C#m - A - F#m - G#7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Amaj7)

Formula: Major Seventh (1 - 3 - 5 - 7)

Constituent chord intervals:

A 1C# 3E 5G# 7

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 0 (A)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Amaj7:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

Standard

Standard Position

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

○Open

ADegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 2Finger 2

EDegree 5

3rd String (G)

Fret 1Finger 1

G#Degree 7

2nd String (B)

Fret 2Finger 3

C#Degree 3

1st String (High E)

○Open

EDegree 5

Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 1 with your Index finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 2 with your Ring finger. Play open: 5th String (A), 1st String (High E). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Barre 5

Barre fret 5

6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

5th String (A)

Fret 7

EDegree 5

4th String (D)

Fret 6

G#Degree 7

3rd String (G)

Fret 6

C#Degree 3

2nd String (B)

Fret 5Barre

EDegree 5

1st String (High E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7, 4th String (D) at fret 6, 3rd String (G) at fret 6.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Amaj7)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	1 to 2
Fretting fingers	3
Open	5th and 1st
Muted	6th

What to check

The open 5th and 1st strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Amaj7

Listen: Amaj7 → E7 · A · E

Amaj7
E7
Amaj7
A
Amaj7
E

Amaj7 → E701

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 1: string 3, fret 1

Move

finger 2: string 5, fret 2

Amaj7 → A02

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 3: string 2, fret 2

Move

finger 1: string 4, fret 2
finger 2: string 3, fret 2

Amaj7 → E03

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 1: string 3, fret 1

Move

finger 2: string 5, fret 2
finger 3: string 4, fret 2

Amaj7 in every key

Amaj7 sits in the scale of 4 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty: 1/5
Highest fret: 2
Frets the hand covers: 2
Barre: No
Strings that ring: 5/6
Fretting fingers: 3

Major keys

Minor keys

Amaj7 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.UkuleleAmaj7 on four strings, with sound.BassAmaj7 as a low-register arpeggio.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (Amaj7)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Amaj7 chord?

To play the Amaj7 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the Amaj7 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Amaj7 chord is its root note: A. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Amaj7 chord and what is its formula?

The Amaj7 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 formula (Major Seventh). Its constituent pitches are A, C#, E, G#.

How do you prevent the Amaj7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Amaj7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official Amaj7 chord diagram

Amaj7 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the A family:

Chord A Chord Ab Chord Am Chord A7 Chord Ab7 Chord Abmaj7 Chord Am7 Chord Abm7