Gmaj7 Chord on Ukulele
Gmaj7 = G – B – D – F# (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 7th)
Gmaj7 layers a major seventh (F#) on top of the plain G major triad, and on ukulele the resulting four notes happen to line up remarkably conveniently: leave the G string open for the root, and barre the C, E, and A strings together at the second fret with a single finger, producing the fifth, the seventh, and the third in one motion. It's a rare case where adding a whole extra chord tone actually simplifies the fingering rather than complicating it, since the plain G major triad itself needs two separate fingers while this four-note extension needs only one barre plus an open string.
As the tonic chord of G major — one of the two or three keys most ukulele beginners spend the most time in — Gmaj7 gives that familiar I chord a softer, more suspended color than the plain triad's fuller resolution, useful anywhere a progression wants to linger on home base without landing too hard. It also functions as the IV chord of D major, another extremely common uke key, where it offers the same lush, unresolved lift that F#maj7 provides for C# major elsewhere in this key family, though built from entirely different notes. Because the barre covers three strings at once and the G string rings open underneath, Gmaj7 keeps a fuller, more resonant sound than most closed four-finger maj7 shapes, which is part of why it's often the first maj7 voicing ukulele players learn. Compared to Cmaj7's single-finger, mostly-open shape elsewhere on this site, Gmaj7's barre demands a bit more technique for a broadly similar harmonic payoff — a useful comparison for hearing how the same chord quality feels different depending on which string ends up doing the fretted work.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Keep the barring finger flat and only as firm as it needs to be — three strings at the same fret rarely require much pressure, and over-gripping tends to introduce buzz rather than prevent it. Because the G string stays open, check that the barring finger's edge isn't drifting far enough to touch it; a slightly arched barre with the fingertip angled toward the ukulele's headstock usually clears the open string cleanly. Once the shape is solid, practice moving between plain G major (two fingers) and Gmaj7 (open string plus barre) to hear how much of the color change comes from a single added note, and try ending a short phrase on Gmaj7 instead of G to hear the softer landing. It's also worth practicing the Gmaj7-to-D move for the IV-chord context, since that barre-to-open-chord transition is common enough in D major songs to deserve its own dedicated repetitions.
Common Progressions
- Imaj7 – IV – V, using Gmaj7 as a colored tonic in G major
- IV – I, giving D major a plagal lift with Gmaj7 (Gmaj7 – D)
- I – vi – ii – V with Gmaj7 opening the loop in G major
- Gmaj7 substituting for a plain G triad at a song's final chord
FAQ
- Why is Gmaj7 easier to finger than plain G major on ukulele?
- A single barre across the C, E, and A strings at the second fret, with the G string left open, covers all four notes of the chord, whereas the plain triad needs two separate fingers doing independent work.
- What does the major seventh add to G major's sound?
- F#, a half step below the octave, softens the triad's settled finality into a dreamier, more suspended color often used as a richer version of the tonic chord.
- Where does Gmaj7 fit harmonically?
- As the tonic color chord of G major itself, and as the IV chord of D major, where it gives a lush, unresolved lift rather than a firm plagal landing.
- Is the three-string barre hard to keep clean?
- Not usually — because all three strings sit at the same fret, the barre needs less pressure than a single-string fretted note, and keeping the finger flat rather than angled sharply avoids muting the open G string beside it.
- How does Gmaj7 compare to Cmaj7's fingering?
- Cmaj7 needs only one finger on one string with three strings left open, while Gmaj7 needs a three-string barre with one string open — a reminder that maj7 chords don't share a single universal shape, since each root's own notes fall differently across GCEA tuning.
Gmaj7 on other instruments: Gmaj7 on Guitar, Gmaj7 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.