Amaj7
Open PositionThe classic open Amaj7 — the open A chord with the G string raised from open to fret 1, giving you the G# (major 7th). Index on G fret 1, middle on D fret 2, ring on B fret 2. The open A is the root, the open high e adds the 5th. Strum from the A string.
Amaj7
5th FretA compact 4-string maj7 voicing with the root on the low E string at fret 5. Index on low E fret 5 (root), middle on B fret 5 (5th), ring on D fret 6 (maj7), pinky on G fret 6 (3rd). Mute the A and high e strings. No barre required.
Amaj7
12th FretA-shape barre chord rooted on A at the 12th fret — the open Amaj7 shape one octave up. Mute the low E; barre fret 12 with your index, ring on D fret 14, middle on G fret 13, pinky on B fret 14.
Amaj7
7th FretD-shape moveable voicing with the root on the D string at fret 7. Index on D fret 7, then ring/middle/pinky (or a small barre) across G, B, and high e at fret 9. A compact mid-position voicing — strum the top four strings only.
Amaj7
4th FretA Drop 2 voicing on the top four strings — root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th stacked in order. Pinky on D fret 7, ring on G fret 6, middle on B fret 5, index on high e fret 4. A go-to jazz comping shape with a clear, sparkling sound.
Tips for Playing the Amaj7 Chord
Spread your fingers
Unlike the open A chord (where three fingers crowd into one fret), Amaj7 spreads them across three strings on two frets. Many players find this more comfortable.
Avoid the low E
In the open Amaj7, the low E is not played. Aim your strum to start cleanly from the A string.
Hear the maj7
The G# on the G string is what makes this chord a maj7. Lift it and you have an A6 (open A with the open G as the 7th... wait, the open G is the b7). Try toggling between Amaj7 and A to hear the difference.
Use it in place of A
Amaj7 sounds great as a substitute for A in folk, ballads, bossa nova, and soft pop. Try it anywhere a plain A feels too bright.
Move the barre shapes
The E-shape at fret 5 and A-shape at fret 12 are fully moveable — slide them up or down to play any major 7th chord.
Bossa nova staple
Amaj7 → Dmaj7 is one of the dreamiest two-chord vamps in music. Try fingerpicking the top four strings of each chord for a Brazilian-jazz feel.
About the Amaj7 Chord on Guitar
The Amaj7 chord is built from four notes: A, C#, E, and G#. It is the A major triad with an added major 7th, giving the chord a warm, dreamy, slightly bittersweet quality. Amaj7 appears constantly in jazz, bossa nova, soul, soft rock, and pop ballads — anywhere a richer, more colourful version of A is wanted. This page covers five voicings, from the easy open shape (which spreads the fingers comfortably across three strings) all the way to advanced barre and Drop 2 jazz voicings. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Amaj7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Open position, E-shape barre, A-shape barre, D-shape, and Drop 2 jazz voicings
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the A Major 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every major chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth.