Bmaj7
2nd FretA-shape barre chord rooted on B at the 2nd fret — the standard Bmaj7 voicing. Mute the low E; barre fret 2 with your index, ring on D fret 4, middle on G fret 3, pinky on B fret 4.
Bmaj7
1st FretA compact 4-string voicing low on the neck. Middle on A fret 2 (root), index on D fret 1, ring on G fret 3, pinky on B fret 4. Strum the middle four strings only — no barre required. The A# on the G string is the major 7th. The shape spans four frets across four strings, demanding strong finger independence.
Bmaj7
7th FretA compact 4-string maj7 voicing with the root on the low E string at fret 7. Index on low E fret 7 (root), middle on B fret 7 (5th), ring on D fret 8 (maj7), pinky on G fret 8 (3rd). Mute the A and high e strings. No barre required.
Bmaj7
9th FretD-shape moveable voicing with the root on the D string at fret 9. Index on D fret 9, then ring/middle/pinky (or a small barre) across G, B, and high e at fret 11. A compact mid-position voicing — strum the top four strings only.
Bmaj7
6th FretA Drop 2 voicing on the top four strings — root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th stacked in order. Pinky on D fret 9, ring on G fret 8, middle on B fret 7, index on high e fret 6. A go-to jazz comping shape with a clear, sparkling sound.
Tips for Playing the Bmaj7 Chord
Start with the A-shape barre
The x-2-4-3-4-2 voicing at fret 2 is the standard Bmaj7. It is a moveable shape — slide it up or down to play any major 7th chord.
The compact shape is no shortcut
The x-2-1-3-4-x voicing avoids a barre but spans four frets across four strings. It demands strong finger independence — do not assume "no barre" means "easier" here.
Mute the low E
Most Bmaj7 voicings skip the low E string. Let the side of your index finger lightly touch the low E to mute it as you strum.
Hear the maj7
The A# is what makes this chord a maj7. In the A-shape barre, that note is on the G string at fret 3 — listen for its soft, dreamy colour against the B root.
Move the barre shapes
The A-shape at fret 2 and E-shape at fret 7 are fully moveable — slide them up or down to play any major 7th chord.
Common in E major
Bmaj7 is the V chord in E major, often used as a substitute for B7 to give a softer resolution. Try Bmaj7 → Emaj7 for a dreamy plagal-style cadence.
About the Bmaj7 Chord on Guitar
The Bmaj7 chord is built from four notes: B, D#, F#, and A#. It is the B major triad with an added major 7th, giving the chord a warm, dreamy, slightly bittersweet quality. Bmaj7 appears constantly in jazz, bossa nova, soul, and pop ballads — and is a key chord in the guitar-friendly keys of E major and B major. This page covers five voicings, from a compact 4-string shape near the nut to advanced barre and Drop 2 jazz voicings. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Bmaj7 chord shapes from intermediate to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04A-shape barre, compact 4-string, E-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 B Major 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every major chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth.