Piano chord · Major 7th
G major 7th piano chord (Gmaj7)
G, B, D and F♯, played together. Root position is highlighted on the keyboard below — press play to hear it.
Notes in Gmaj7: G, B, D and F♯
| Note | Interval from the root | Key around middle C |
|---|---|---|
| G | Root | G4 · white key |
| B | Major 3rd | B4 · white key |
| D | Perfect 5th | D5 · white key |
| F♯ | Major 7th | F♯5 · black key |
- Chord symbol: Gmaj7 — G major 7th
- Formula: R · 3 · 5 · 7 (0 · 4 · 7 · 11 semitones from the root)
- Right hand fingering: 1-2-3-5 — thumb, index, middle and little finger
- Left hand fingering: 5-3-2-1, little finger on the root
How Gmaj7 works
Gmaj7 needs one black key, F♯, as its 7th — the note that separates it from the G7 every beginner learns first. It is the I chord in G major jazz and folk tunes and the IV in D.
Gmaj7 inversions
An inversion keeps the same notes and changes which one is at the bottom. That matters because it lets you move between chords without jumping: the closer the notes of the next chord are to the ones your hand is already holding, the smoother it sounds and the easier it is to play. Root position first, then three inversions.
Root position
G–B–D–F♯ — the root, G, is at the bottom.
1st inversion — B in the bass
B–D–F♯–G — the same four notes, reordered so B is lowest.
2nd inversion — D in the bass
D–F♯–G–B — the same four notes, reordered so D is lowest.
3rd inversion — F♯ in the bass
F♯–G–B–D — the same four notes, reordered so F♯ is lowest.
Common mistakes on Gmaj7
- Reaching for F natural out of G7 habit; F gives G7, F♯ gives Gmaj7.
- Playing the F♯ with the thumb. Keep 1-2-3-5 so the little finger takes the black key.
Piano chord data last updated . Every diagram here, in the printable PDF and in the chart image comes from one dataset, so the paper and the screen cannot disagree.