Bmaj7 chord on guitar

Bmaj7 is B, D♯, F♯ and A♯. The usual shape is x-2-4-3-4-2, a barre at the 2nd fret. Hit Play and watch each string light as it sounds.

x-2-4-3-4-2 · barre · medium

Notes: B · D♯ · F♯ · A♯
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 7
First shape: x-2-4-3-4-2

How to play Bmaj7 on guitar

Shape 1, x-2-4-3-4-2, reading from the low E string on the left, starts at the 2nd fret:

Barre the 2nd fret with your index finger, covering the 5 strings from the A string to the high E string.
Put your middle finger on the G string at the 3rd fret, which is A♯.
Put your ring finger on the D string at the 4th fret, which is F♯.
Put your pinky finger on the B string at the 4th fret, which is D♯.
Skip the low E string and begin the strum from the A string.

Keep the barre just behind the fret wire, not in the middle of the fret. Your thumb goes behind the neck, roughly opposite your middle finger.
Your little finger has a job in this shape; it gets stronger in a week or two of short daily practice.

Other ways to play Bmaj7

x-2-1-3-0-x: open shape, easy. Fewer strings, so it sounds lighter and is quicker to change to.
7-9-8-8-7-7: barre shape at the 7th fret, medium. The root is on the low E string, so you can slide this shape to play any major seventh chord.
x-14-13-11-11-11: partial barre shape at the 11th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

Capo shortcuts for Bmaj7

A capo turns an open chord into Bmaj7: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open Amaj7 shape (x-0-2-1-2-0), capo on the 4th fret and play the open Gmaj7 shape (3-2-0-0-0-2), capo on the 6th fret and play the open Fmaj7 shape (x-x-3-2-1-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open Emaj7 shape (0-2-1-1-0-0). Handy when the rest of the song's chords also have open shapes in that position.

Moving between Bmaj7 and its neighbours

The chords Bmaj7 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

Emaj7 (IV in B major): Bmaj7 (x-2-4-3-4-2) to Emaj7 (0-2-1-1-0-0): your index finger lands on the D string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 1st fret, move the ring finger to the A string, 2nd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. B and D♯ carry over from one chord to the other. Emaj7 on guitar
F♯7 (V in B major): Bmaj7 (x-2-4-3-4-2) to F♯7 (2-4-2-3-2-2): your middle finger stays put, the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 2nd fret, the ring finger slides across to the A string at the same fret. Listen for F♯ and A♯, which stay put while the rest moves. F♯7 on guitar
G♯m7 (vi in B major): Bmaj7 (x-2-4-3-4-2) to G♯m7 (4-6-4-4-4-4): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 4th fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 6th fret. B, D♯ and F♯ carry over from one chord to the other. G♯m7 on guitar

Bmaj7 is a major seventh chord: a major triad with the note a half step below the octave added. Bmaj7 works as a relaxed home chord; swap it in for plain B at the end of a phrase. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

A short Bmaj7 drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: B, F♯, A♯, D♯, F♯. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Then switch to x-2-1-3-0-x and back four times without looking at your hand.

Keys and progressions with Bmaj7

In B major, ii–V–I on guitar is C♯m7 (x-4-2-1-0-0), F♯7 (2-4-2-3-2-2) and Bmaj7 (x-2-4-3-4-2). About the jazz cadence.

Bmaj7 on piano and ukulele

Bmaj7 on piano and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Related B chords on guitar

Other major seventh chords

Bmaj7 on guitar: questions

What notes are in Bmaj7 on guitar?

B, D♯, F♯ and A♯. In the x-2-4-3-4-2 shape the strings play B (A string), F♯ (D string), A♯ (G string), D♯ (B string) and F♯ (high E string), so F♯ is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play Bmaj7 on guitar?

x-2-1-3-0-x. It uses open strings, so there is no barre to press.

Is Bmaj7 a barre chord on guitar?

In its standard form, yes. x-2-4-3-4-2 has your index finger across the 2nd fret. If that's hard, try x-2-1-3-0-x.

Which string does Bmaj7 start on?

In the x-2-4-3-4-2 shape the lowest string you play is the A string at the 2nd fret, which is B, the root. Skip the low E string.

Every shape above plays only B, D♯, F♯ and A♯, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.