Bmaj7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
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.
Bmaj7 is built from B, D#, F# and A#. B is the root, D# the major third, F# the fifth and A# the major seventh. Said aloud, its notes are B, D sharp, F sharp and A sharp.
From the low string to the high one you hear B, F#, A#, D# and F#. The note heard most is F#, twice. It is not the root but the fifth. The lowest note is B on string 5 and the highest is F# on string 1.
You play Bmaj7 with a barre at fret 2. Avoid string 6. Everything fits between frets 2 and 4. Besides the main one there are two more shapes, at frets 7 and 11.
B is one change away. String 3 moves from fret 3 to fret 4, bringing in B, the root of B. Bmaj7 holds the whole D#m chord inside it, D#, F# and A#. Going to F#, three positions stay the same.
Bmaj7 shows up in four keys. In B major it is the I, in F# major the IV and in D# minor the VI. The rest appear in the key list.
B 1D# 3F# 5A# 7
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 2 (B)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 4, 3rd String (G) at fret 3, 2nd String (B) at fret 4. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Barre fret 7. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 9, 4th String (D) at fret 8, 3rd String (G) at fret 8.
Placement tip: Barre fret 11. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 9. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 5th String (A).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 2 to 4 |
| Barre | fret 2, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 4 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 5th and 1st strings.
Listen: Bmaj7 → B · F# · F#7
Bmaj7 sits in the scale of 4 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Bmaj7 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.
The primary bass note of the Bmaj7 chord is its root note: B. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 2.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Bmaj7 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 formula (Major Seventh). Its constituent pitches are B, D#, F#, A#.
To prevent fret buzz on the Bmaj7 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
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