Fmaj7 Chord on Ukulele
Fmaj7 = F – A – C – E (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 7th)
F major seventh gets its major seventh for free from the open E string, which happens to sound exactly that note, while the other three notes each need their own separate finger: the G string's second fret for the third, the A string's third fret for the fifth, and the C string's fifth fret — the shape's widest reach — for the root. No barre ties any of these together, so it's a four-finger-equivalent stretch, even with one note supplied at no cost.
The major seventh softens F major's rounder, more grounded triad into something more reflective, the same relationship this interval has to every major chord it's added to. Fmaj7 slots in as the IVmaj7 chord in the key of C, a common softening move right before or instead of a plain F, and it also stands as the tonic-seventh of its own F-major key center for slower, jazz-influenced arrangements. Because the open E string is doing real harmonic work here rather than just adding incidental ring, this voicing keeps more genuine resonance than a chord built entirely from fretted notes would.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Place the C string's fifth-fret note first, since it's the widest single reach and the anchor the rest of the hand has to organize around, then fill in the G and A strings' lower notes and leave the open E string alone. Comparing Fmaj7 against plain F major highlights how much of this chord's character comes from a single added note — the open E string — layered onto an otherwise familiar-feeling hand shape.
Common Progressions
- IVmaj7 softening the tonic-adjacent chord in the key of C (C - Fmaj7 - G - C)
- Imaj7 in the key of F (Fmaj7 - Bb - C - Fmaj7)
- A slow Fmaj7 vamp suits a reflective instrumental passage.
- IV - V - Imaj7 (Bb - C - Fmaj7), softening the final resolution in the key of F
FAQ
- Why does the open E string work as F major seventh's major seventh?
- E natural sits exactly one half-step below F, which is precisely the interval a major seventh occupies relative to its root.
- Does Fmaj7 need to resolve anywhere?
- No — it's a stable-sounding chord in its own right, unlike F7's built-in urge toward Bb, so a progression can settle on Fmaj7 comfortably rather than treating it as a stop along the way somewhere else.
- What's Fmaj7's role in the key of C?
- It's the IVmaj7 chord, a softened substitute for plain F whenever a C-major progression wants a more reflective color before or instead of the plain IV.
- Is Fmaj7 harder to play than plain F major?
- Yes — it needs three separate fingers with no barre and a wider reach to the fifth fret, compared to F major's compact two-finger shape.
- How can a beginner hear the difference between Fmaj7 and F7?
- Play them back to back — F7's flatted seventh pulls strongly toward Bb, while Fmaj7's natural seventh, supplied by the open E string, stays stable and unresolved.
- What note does Fmaj7 add compared to plain F major?
- E, the major seventh above F, supplied entirely by the open E string at no fretting cost.
- Would Fmaj7 be a reasonable chord to teach right after plain F major?
- It's a natural next step for a player who already has F secure, since only the open E string's contribution is genuinely new, but the wider three-finger, no-barre spread is still a real jump in coordination.
- Does Fmaj7 ever get simplified for casual strumming?
- Occasionally players substitute plain F when Fmaj7 comes up mid-song and the reach feels rushed, trading the reflective major-seventh color for a simpler, more reliable chord change.
- Which of Fmaj7's four notes is the widest reach from the open position?
- The C string's fifth fret, held for the root, sits noticeably further from the nut than the G and A strings' lower notes, making it the anchor the rest of the hand has to organize around.
- Does Fmaj7 share any notes with Am7?
- Three of its four — A, C, and E — overlap between the two chords, which is why substituting Am7 briefly for Fmaj7 in a slow passage produces a related but noticeably lighter, more minor-leaning color.
- Should a beginner mute the open E string if it rings unevenly against the fretted notes?
- No — better to isolate the string on its own first, checking it sounds clean by itself, and only then bring the three fretted notes in one at a time, since muting it would remove the exact note that gives this voicing its major-seventh identity.
Fmaj7 on other instruments: Fmaj7 on Guitar, Fmaj7 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.