Fmaj7 chord on guitar

Fmaj7 is F, A, C and E. The easiest shape is x-x-3-2-1-0. Hit Play and watch each string light as it sounds.

x-x-3-2-1-0 · open · easy

Notes: F · A · C · E
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 7
First shape: x-x-3-2-1-0

How to play Fmaj7 on guitar

Shape 1, x-x-3-2-1-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

Index finger: B string, 1st fret (C).
Middle finger: G string, 2nd fret (A).
Ring finger: D string, 3rd fret (F).
Let the open high E string ring (E).
Don't play the low E and A strings: start your strum on the D string.

Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
With four strings sounding, a shorter strum works best: start on the first played string and stop at the high E.

Other ways to play Fmaj7

1-3-2-2-1-1: barre shape, hard. Built on the Emaj7 open shape with the barre as a movable nut; the root is on the 6th string.
x-8-10-9-10-8: barre shape at the 8th fret, medium. This is the open Amaj7 shape with a barre behind it, root on the 5th string.
x-8-7-5-5-5: partial barre shape at the 5th fret, medium. A different set of strings gives a different color of the same chord.

Capo shortcuts for Fmaj7

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 1st fret and play the open Emaj7 shape (0-2-1-1-0-0), capo on the 3rd fret and play the open Dmaj7 shape (x-x-0-2-2-2) or capo on the 5th fret and play the open Cmaj7 shape (x-3-2-0-0-0). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

Fmaj7 chord changes

The chords Fmaj7 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

B♭maj7 (IV in F major): Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0) to B♭maj7 (x-1-3-2-3-1): your middle and ring fingers stay put, the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 1st fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 3rd fret. Shared notes: F and A. B♭maj7 on guitar
C7 (V in F major): Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0) to C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0): your index finger stays put, the middle finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, the ring finger slides across to the A string at the same fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 3rd fret. C and E carry over from one chord to the other. C7 on guitar
Dm7 (vi in F major): Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0) to Dm7 (x-x-0-2-1-1): your index finger stays put, the middle finger goes to the high E string, 1st fret, your ring finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret. F, A and C carry over from one chord to the other. Dm7 on guitar

Fmaj7 is a major seventh chord: a major triad with the note a half step below the octave added. Fmaj7 works as a relaxed home chord; swap it in for plain F at the end of a phrase. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Getting Fmaj7 under your fingers

Before strumming, play x-x-3-2-1-0 note by note: F then A then C then E. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Next, alternate x-x-3-2-1-0 and 1-3-2-2-1-1, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

Fmaj7 in context

In F major, ii–V–I on guitar is Gm7 (3-5-3-3-3-3), C7 (x-3-2-3-1-0) and Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0). About the jazz cadence.

Fmaj7 on piano and ukulele

The same notes on another instrument: Fmaj7 on piano and Fmaj7 on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.

Related F chords on guitar

Other major seventh chords

Fmaj7 on guitar: questions

What notes are in Fmaj7 on guitar?

F, A, C and E. In the x-x-3-2-1-0 shape the strings play F (D string), A (G string), C (B string) and E (high E string, open).

What's the easiest way to play Fmaj7 on guitar?

x-x-3-2-1-0, the first shape on this page. It uses open strings, so there is no barre to press.

Is Fmaj7 a barre chord on guitar?

Not usually: x-x-3-2-1-0 needs no barre. Barre forms exist up the neck if you want a different sound.

Which string does Fmaj7 start on?

In the x-x-3-2-1-0 shape the lowest string you play is the D string at the 3rd fret, which is F, the root. Skip the low E and A strings.

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes F, A, C and E and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.