F#maj7 Chord on Guitar
F#maj7 = F# – A# – C# – F (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 7th)
F#maj7 uses the same second-fret barre as F# major, with the D string's note dropped one fret — from the octave root down to the major seventh, a half step below it. That single half-step change is what separates a plain major triad from the lush, slightly unresolved color of a major-seventh chord, and it's a much smaller physical adjustment than the sound difference would suggest.
The chord voices F#-A#-F-C#: root, major third, major seventh, and fifth, with the fifth doubled across two strings. The major seventh sits a half step below the root, creating a gentle inward pull that never resolves to outright tension the way a dominant seventh does — it's the harmonic equivalent of a held breath rather than an urgent question. As I in F# major it's a lush tonic color more associated with jazz ballads and bossa nova than with the plain triad; as IV in C# major or borrowed briefly within B major, it softens whatever chord follows it.
Fingerings
Barre (2nd fret)
How to Practice It
Learn the plain F# major barre solidly first, then practice lowering only the D-string finger by one fret while the rest of the hand stays locked in place — that's the entire physical difference. Because the major seventh (F, right next to the root F#) is a tight interval, pay attention to whether it's ringing clearly rather than getting buried; a maj7 chord that isn't cleanly fretted just sounds like a slightly out-of-tune major triad. Practice resolving from F#maj7 to F# major and back to hear the half-step tension being added and released.
Common Progressions
- F#maj7 – B – C# – F#maj7 (I – IV – V – I in F# major)
- B – F#maj7 (IV – I♭... actually I – IVmaj7 color in B major)
- D#m7 – G#7 – C#maj7 – F#maj7 (a jazz ii-V-I sequence landing on F#maj7 as a IVmaj7 color chord)
- F#maj7 – E – A (borrowed lush color before resolving to A major)
FAQ
- What single note separates F# major from F#maj7?
- The D-string note drops one fret, from the octave root (F#) to the major seventh (F) — every other string in the barre stays exactly where it was for the plain major chord.
- Why does F#maj7 sound so different from F#7 despite one letter's difference in the name?
- Because the seventh is a different note entirely: F#7 uses the minor seventh (E), a whole step below the root, which creates a strong dominant pull, while F#maj7 uses the major seventh (F), a half step below the root, which creates a much softer, unresolved color instead.
- Is F#maj7 a common chord in guitar music?
- It's less common as a I chord than plain F# major, but it turns up often as a color chord — a IV or vi-adjacent substitution — in jazz, bossa nova, and softer pop writing that wants a lusher texture than a plain triad.
- How hard is the F#maj7 barre for a beginner?
- About the same difficulty as F# major itself — it's the same six-string barre with one finger repositioned one fret, so anyone comfortable with the major shape can add this color with minimal extra work.
- Does F#maj7 ever get played as an open-adjacent voicing instead of a barre?
- Not really in open position, since F# has no open-string shape to build from, but capoing the second fret over an open Emaj7-style fingering is one lower-effort alternative some players use.
F#maj7 on other instruments: F#maj7 on Piano, F#maj7 on Ukulele. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.