Gmaj7
Open PositionThe classic open Gmaj7 — the open G chord with the high e lowered from fret 3 to fret 2, giving you the F# (major 7th). Ring on low E fret 3, middle on A fret 2, pinky on high e fret 2. The D, G, and B strings ring open.
Gmaj7
3rd FretA compact 4-string maj7 voicing with the root on the low E string at fret 3. Index on low E fret 3 (root), middle on B fret 3 (5th), ring on D fret 4 (maj7), pinky on G fret 4 (3rd). Mute the A and high e strings. No barre required.
Gmaj7
10th FretA-shape barre chord rooted on G at the 10th fret. Mute the low E; barre fret 10 with your index, ring on D fret 12, middle on G fret 11, pinky on B fret 12.
Gmaj7
5th FretD-shape moveable voicing with the root on the D string at fret 5. Index on D fret 5, then ring/middle/pinky (or a small barre) across G, B, and high e at fret 7. A compact mid-position voicing — strum the top four strings only.
Gmaj7
2nd FretA Drop 2 voicing on the top four strings — root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th stacked in order. Pinky on D fret 5, ring on G fret 4, middle on B fret 3, index on high e fret 2. A go-to jazz comping shape with a clear, sparkling sound.
Tips for Playing the Gmaj7 Chord
Just lower the high e
If you already know the open G chord, just move your pinky from fret 3 to fret 2 on the high e string. That F# is the major 7th that turns G into Gmaj7.
Let the open strings ring
The open Gmaj7 depends on the open D, G, and B strings ringing cleanly. Arch your fingers so they do not accidentally mute them.
Hear the maj7
The F# on the high e is what makes this chord a maj7. Move it up to fret 3 (G) and you are back to a regular G chord — try toggling between them to train your ear.
Use it in place of G
Gmaj7 sounds great as a substitute for G in folk, ballads, bossa nova, and soft pop. Try it anywhere a plain G feels too bright.
Move the barre shapes
The E-shape at fret 3 and A-shape at fret 10 are fully moveable — slide them up or down to play any major 7th chord.
Bossa nova staple
Gmaj7 → Cmaj7 is one of the most-used soft jazz moves. Try fingerpicking the top four strings of each chord for a Brazilian-jazz feel.
About the Gmaj7 Chord on Guitar
The Gmaj7 chord is built from four notes: G, B, D, and F#. It is the G major triad with an added major 7th, giving the chord a warm, dreamy, slightly bittersweet quality. Gmaj7 appears constantly in jazz, bossa nova, soul, soft rock, and pop ballads — anywhere a richer, more colourful version of G is wanted. This page covers five voicings, from the easy open shape (the open G chord with one finger moved) all the way to advanced barre and Drop 2 jazz voicings. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Gmaj7 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 G Major 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every major chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth.