CifraLab

Gmaj7 Guitar Chord

Gmaj7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
Gmaj7Guitar fingering diagram for Gmaj71234213STRING6ªG5ªB4ªD3ªG2ªB1ªF#
View HD sheet

What sets Gmaj7 apart

The notes of Gmaj7 are G, B, D and F#. G is the root, B the major third, D the fifth and F# the major seventh. Said aloud, its notes are G, B, D and F sharp.

String by string, low to high, it plays G, B, D, G, B and F#. Of the six strings you play, two give G, the note that names the chord. It runs from G on string 6 up to F# on string 1.

The open strings add notes to Gmaj7 too. String 4 gives D, string 3 gives G and string 2 gives B. Your hand covers two frets, from 2 to 3. There is one more position, starting at fret 3.

Change only string 1 in Gmaj7 and you have G. Inside Gmaj7 sits a complete Bm chord, made of B, D and F#. Bm shares two positions with this shape.

Gmaj7 shows up in four keys. In G major it is the I, in D major the IV and in B minor the VI. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

01G G - Em - Am - D702Bm Bm - G - Em - F#7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Gmaj7)

Formula: Major Seventh (1 - 3 - 5 - 7)
Constituent chord intervals:

G 1B 3D 5F# 7

Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 3 (G)

String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Gmaj7:

01

Standard

Standard Position
6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 3Finger 2
GDegree 1
5th String (A)
Fret 2Finger 1
BDegree 3
4th String (D)
○Open
DDegree 5
3rd String (G)
○Open
GDegree 1
2nd String (B)
○Open
BDegree 3
1st String (High E)
Fret 2Finger 3
F#Degree 7

Placement tip: Press: 6th String (Low E) at fret 3 with your Middle finger, 5th String (A) at fret 2 with your Index finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 2 with your Ring finger. Play open: 4th String (D), 3rd String (G), 2nd String (B).

02

Jazz shape

Inversion
4 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 3Finger 1
GDegree 1
5th String (A)
×Muted
Do not play
4th String (D)
Fret 4Finger 3
F#Degree 7
3rd String (G)
Fret 4Finger 4
BDegree 3
2nd String (B)
Fret 3Finger 2
DDegree 5
1st String (High E)
×Muted
Do not play

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

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Gmaj7)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets2 to 3
Fretting fingers3
Open4th, 3rd, and 2nd
Mutednone

What to check

The open 4th and 2nd strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Gmaj7

Listen: Gmaj7 → G · Bm · Em

  1. Gmaj7
  2. G
  3. Gmaj7
  4. Bm
  5. Gmaj7
  6. Em
Gmaj7 → G01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay
Stay in place
  • finger 2: string 6, fret 3
  • finger 1: string 5, fret 2
Move
  • finger 3: string 1, fret 3
Gmaj7 → Bm02
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions
Stay in place
  • string 5, fret 2
  • string 1, fret 2
Move
  • string 4, fret 4
  • string 3, fret 4
  • string 2, fret 3
Gmaj7 → Em03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays
Stay in place
  • finger 1: string 5, fret 2
Move
  • finger 2: string 4, fret 2

Gmaj7 in every key

Gmaj7 sits in the scale of 4 keys.

Main shape at a glance

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

Gmaj7 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.UkuleleGmaj7 on four strings, with sound.BassGmaj7 as a low-register arpeggio.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (Gmaj7)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Gmaj7 chord?

To play the Gmaj7 chord on guitar, all 6 strings are played from the 6th string (Low E) to the 1st string (High E). Arch your finger joints perpendicular to the fretboard so adjacent strings ring clearly.

What is the root bass note of the Gmaj7 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Gmaj7 chord is its root note: G. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 3.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Gmaj7 chord and what is its formula?

The Gmaj7 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 formula (Major Seventh). Its constituent pitches are G, B, D, F#.

How do you prevent the Gmaj7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Gmaj7 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 Gmaj7 chord diagram

Gmaj7 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the G family:

Chord G Chord Gm Chord G#m Chord G7 Chord Gm7 Chord Gsus4 Chord Gadd9 Chord G13