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.
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 acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Amaj7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Acoustic 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 7th chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh.
Frequently Asked Questions
The simplest version is the open Amaj7 (x02120): index on G fret 1, middle on D fret 2, ring on B fret 2. The open A and open high e ring out. Strum from the A string.
A major contains A, C#, and E. Amaj7 adds a G# (the major 7th), giving it a warmer, dreamier sound. On guitar, the open Amaj7 is the open A chord with the G string moved from open to fret 1.
About the same. Both use three fingers in the open position, but Amaj7 spreads them across three strings (rather than crowding three fingers into one fret), which many players find more comfortable.
Amaj7 can also be written as AM7, AΔ7, or AΔ. They all refer to the same chord — an A major triad with an added major 7th.
Amaj7 pairs naturally with Bm7, C#m7, Dmaj7, E7, F#m7, and G#m7♭5 in the key of A. The progression Amaj7 → F#m7 → Bm7 → E7 is a classic jazz turnaround, and Amaj7 → Dmaj7 is common in bossa nova.