Which strings do I strum for C major seven?

5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.

What notes are in a C major seven chord?

C, E, G, B. The C is the root, the note the chord is named after. The E makes it major.

What chords go with Cmaj7?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, F and G, and its relative minor, Am. Songs move between these because they share notes.

major seventh chord

C major seven chord on guitar

C with the index finger lifted. Two fingers and a dreamy, floating sound.

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Where the fingers go

1
ring finger, A string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A.
2
middle finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
3
Leave the G, B, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
4
Strum 5 strings, from the A string down
Skip the thick E. It would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in Cmaj7

A chord is three or four notes played together. C major seven is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
C	root	A string, fret 3
E	major third	D string, fret 2; thin e string, open
G	fifth	G string, open
B	major seventh	B string, open

The root, C, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds dreamy and warm.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

F and G are Cmaj7’s neighbours. Most songs in Cmaj7 use one or both.
Am is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Strumming the thick E

Start on the A string. The thick E turns it muddy.

Tip

C to Cmaj7 is one finger

Lift the index finger off the B string and the chord softens. Put it back and it settles.

Songs that use it

Ballads and bossa nova in C. Often the last chord of a song.

None of the songs on the site use Cmaj7 yet. It is coming with the next batch.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for C major seven?: 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
What notes are in a C major seven chord?: C, E, G, B. The C is the root, the note the chord is named after. The E makes it major.
What chords go with Cmaj7?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, F and G, and its relative minor, Am. Songs move between these because they share notes.