D# or E♭ Major 7th
1st FretD-shape voicing — the open Dmaj7 shape slid up one fret. Index on D string fret 1, then ring/middle/pinky on G, B, and high e at fret 3 (or barre fret 3 with the ring finger). Strum from the D string only. The D on the B string at fret 3 is the major 7th.
D# or E♭ Major 7th
6th FretA-shape barre chord rooted on D# or E♭ at the 6th fret. Mute the low E; barre fret 6 with your index, then add ring on D fret 8, middle on G fret 7, and pinky on B fret 8. A classic moveable maj7 voicing.
D# or E♭ Major 7th
11th FretA compact 4-string maj7 voicing with the root on the low E string at fret 11. Index on low E fret 11 (root), middle on B fret 11 (5th), ring on D fret 12 (maj7), pinky on G fret 12 (3rd). Mute the A and high e strings. No barre required.
D# or E♭ Major 7th
13th FretHigh D-shape voicing with the root on the D string at fret 13 — the low-position D-shape one octave up. A compact, focused voicing — strum the top four strings only.
D# or E♭ Major 7th
10th FretA Drop 2 voicing on the top four strings — root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th stacked in order. A go-to jazz comping shape with a clear, sparkling sound.
Start with the low D-shape
The xx-1-3-3-3 voicing at the 1st fret is just the open Dmaj7 shape moved up one fret. If you know Dmaj7, you already know D#maj7 — just shift everything up by one.
Use a small barre
In the low D-shape, lay your ring finger flat across G, B, and high e at fret 3. It is often easier than placing three separate fingers.
Mute the low strings
The D-shape voicings sound best when you strum from the D string. The low E and A do not contain chord tones in those shapes and can muddy the sound.
Use it in flat keys
E♭maj7 is one of the most important chords in jazz — it is the I chord in E♭ major and a key chord in B♭. Get comfortable with the A-shape barre at fret 6 for jazz comping.
Move the barre shapes
The A-shape at fret 6 and E-shape at fret 11 are fully moveable — slide them up or down to play any major 7th chord.
Jazz turnaround
E♭maj7 → Cm7 → Fm7 → B♭7 is one of the most-used progressions in jazz standards. Try cycling these four shapes.
About the D#maj7 or E♭maj7 Chord on Guitar
The D#maj7 or E♭maj7 chord is built from four notes: D# (or E♭), G, A# (or B♭), and D. It is the D# or E♭ major triad with an added major 7th, giving the chord a warm, dreamy, slightly bittersweet quality. E♭maj7 is one of the most important chords in jazz, soul, and orchestral pop — anywhere a richer, more colourful version of E♭ is wanted, particularly in flat keys. This page covers five voicings, from a low-position D-shape (the open Dmaj7 slid up one fret) all the way to advanced barre and Drop 2 jazz voicings. Every diagram is interactive and playable with acoustic guitar sound. D#maj7 is enharmonically identical to E♭maj7 — the same chord, spelled differently depending on the key.
- 015 D#maj7 or E♭maj7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Low D-shape, A-shape barre, E-shape barre, high 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 D# or E♭ 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 most accessible E♭maj7 is the D-shape voicing at the 1st fret (xx-1-3-3-3): index on D string fret 1, then a small barre across G, B, and high e at fret 3 with your ring finger. Strum the top four strings only.
Yes. D#maj7 and E♭maj7 are enharmonic equivalents — same pitch, same shapes on guitar. The naming depends on key signature: flat keys use E♭maj7 (much more common in real music), sharp keys use D#maj7.
D#maj7 contains D#, G, A#, and D. While D and G are open strings, the chord requires fretted notes for the D# root and A# fifth. The closest low-position option is the D-shape at the 1st fret.
The D-shape voicing (xx-1-3-3-3) at the 1st fret is the easiest practical D#maj7 — just the open Dmaj7 shape moved up one fret. Strum the top four strings only.
In the key of E♭ major: Fm7, Gm7, A♭maj7, B♭7, Cm7, and Dm7♭5. The progression E♭maj7 → Cm7 → Fm7 → B♭7 is a classic jazz turnaround. E♭maj7 → A♭maj7 is also a staple in soul and Brazilian jazz.