Knowing your 7th chords opens up a new world for the guitarist. F Maj 7 in particular is a chord that is fun to play and sounds so pretty. It is made up of the notes FACE. In lead sheet music, it might be noted as F Maj 7 , FM7, F△7. In this article we include chord charts with detailed explanations, music theory deep dives, and even chord progressions so you understand all you need to know about guitar chords f major 7 and how to use it in your music.
Looking for the triad version of this chord? Check out Guitar Chords F Major!
Related: How to play the Em 7 Guitar Chord
F Major 7 Chord Theory
Let’s begin with the basics:
- The notes FACE make an F Maj 7 chord.
- F Maj 7 is a seventh chord.
- A seventh chord often consists of 4 notes: the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th.
- A maj 7 chord has these intervals stacked above the root:
Root, Maj 3rd, Perfect 5th, and Maj 7th.
- A Maj 7th is also a half step below the root note.
- The 5th can be (and is sometimes) omitted from the 7th chord.
- F Maj 7 chord can be displayed in various different ways: F Maj 7 , FM7, F△7
How To Play F Maj 7
Method 1
One of the most popular ways to play F Maj 7 is like so:
- Place your index finger on the 8th fret of the 5th string. (F)
- Place your ring finger on the 10th fret of the 4th string. (C)
- Place your middle finger on the 9th finger of the 3rd string. (E)
- Place your ring finger on the 10th fret of the 2nd string. (A)
Method 2
- Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the 6th string. (F)
- Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the 5th string. (C)
- Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string. (E)
- Place your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string. (A)
F Maj 7 Barre Chord
The methods listed above can also be barred for a very full sounding chord. Here’s how:
Method 3
- Place your index finger on the 8th fret of the 5th string and barre (F and C)
- Place your ring finger on the 10th fret of the 4th string. (C)
- Place your middle finger on the 9th finger of the 3rd string. (E)
- Place your ring finger on the 10th fret of the 2nd string. (A)
Method 4
- Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the 6th string and barre. (F, C and F)
- Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the 5th string. (C)
- Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string. (E)
- Place your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string. (A)
Alternate Ways to Play
In addition to playing the root on the 5th and 6th strings, we can also play a seventh chord with the root on the 4th string.
Method 5
- Place your index finger on the 3rd fret of the 4th string. (F)
- Place your middle finger on the 5th fret of the 3rd string. (C)
- Place your ring finger on the 5th fret of the 2nd string. (E)
- Place your 4th finger on the 5th fret of the 1st string. (A)
Method 6
Remember when I said that sometimes the 5th is omitted from the 7th chord? Well this voicing is an example of that. It only has the chord tones F A and E. This voicing is especially succinct and minimal, and it has a unique quality to it. Chords that omit the 5th are also sometimes called shell voicings.
- Place your index finger on the 10th fret of the 3rd string and barre. (F and A)
- Place your ring finger on the 12th fret of the 1st string. (E)
Related:
Learn The A Minor 7 Guitar Chords
Learn To Play The C Maj 7 Guitar Chord
Which Keys Have F Maj In Them?
The formula for diatonic chords in a major keys is:
I ii iii IV V vi viio
Therefore these major keys have F Major in them:
F Major:F Maj, G min, A min, B Maj, C Maj, Dmin, Edim
C Major: C Maj, D min, E min, F Maj, G Maj, Amin, Bdim
Bb Maj: Bb Maj, Cmin, Dmin, Ebmaj, F Maj, Gmin, Adim
The formula for diatonic chords in a minor keys is:
i iio III iv V VI viio
Therefore these minor keys have F Major in them:
D min: D min, Eb dim, F Maj, G min, A Maj, Bb Maj, Cdim
Bb min: Bb min, C dim, Db Maj, Eb min, F Maj, Gb Maj, Ab dim
A min: A min, B dim, C Maj, Dmin, Emaj, F Maj, G dim
Frequently Asked Questions
What chords go with F Maj 7?
That depends on the key that you are playing in, you can’t go wrong with a ii-V-I progression in Bb Maj. Try playing these chords: C Min, F Maj, Bb Maj
Why is F Maj chord so hard?
It’s really not difficult to play. The F Maj on the 1st fret can be difficult because of the barre and the high string tension at the top of the neck. But remember that you don’t have to play that particular voicing, nor do you have to hit all of the chord tones for that matter!
What chords go in F maj 7?
F Maj 7 is a chord, so other chords cannot go in it. If you mean chord tones, then the notes are FACE.
Related: Major G Chord
Conclusion
The notes in a F Maj 7 chord are FACE. A 7th chord has 4 notes in it: the root, third, fifth and seventh. A major 7th is a half step below the octave root note. You can play it low on the fretboard for a low and full sounding chord, or a shell voicing that is minimal but complementary. 7th chords really diversify your sound as a guitarist. F Maj 7 is a beautiful chord that can really spice up your songs. In lead sheet music, it might be noted as F Maj 7 , FM7, F△7. Hopefully you understand all you need to know about guitar chords f major 7 and how to use it creatively.
