E Major 7th Chord
Jazzy, bright and complex
Emaj7 is playable as an open chord near the nut (Open Emaj7), making it one of the more beginner-friendly shapes.
Emaj7 - Open Emaj7
What is a Emaj7 chord?
A major 7th chord stacks the root, major 3rd, perfect 5th and major 7th — root plus all the bright intervals. The interval between the 7th and the root (a half step) creates a dreamy, unresolved color that's softer than the bluesy tension of a dominant 7th. Major 7ths are the signature sound of bossa nova, jazz ballads and dreamy pop verses.
Notes in the chord: E – G# – B – D#
Intervals: Root, 3, 5, 7 (measured from the root)
Where Emaj7 fits in a key
Emaj7 appears as the I in E major, V in A major, and IV in B major.
Common progressions with Emaj7
I-V-vi-IV — in E major
E → B → C#m → A
I-IV-V — in E major
E → A → B
I-vi-IV-V — in E major
E → C#m → A → B
When to use a major 7th chord
In the key of E major, Emaj7 is the tonic (I) — the chord progressions here resolve home to. Use major 7ths as the I chord (Imaj7) for a Steely Dan / Ben Folds / bossa-nova feel, or as the IV chord (IVmaj7) for a softer cadence. They appear constantly in jazz standards (e.g. 'Misty', 'Girl from Ipanema') and any pop song reaching for sophistication. Substitute a plain major chord with maj7 to add color without changing the chord's function.
Common substitutions for Emaj7
- •Major 9 — extends with the 9th for even more color
- •Major 6 — replace the 7th with the 6th for a vintage sound (think Beatles)
- •Plain major — drop the 7th for a more grounded, less-jazzy feel
E Major Scale
Works great over major chords
Lydian Mode
Add color to major chords
Improvisation Basics
Learn to solo over progressions
Practice with Improvisio
Use Emaj7 in a progression and see which scales work best.
Try it in the trainer