Cmaj7: C Major 7th Piano Chord

Root position: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	C, E, G, B	1-2-3-5
Left	C, E, G, B	5-3-2-1

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	C	Perfect unison	0
3	E	Major third	4
5	G	Perfect fifth	7
7	B	Major seventh	11

Construction

C Major 7th = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 7th = C, E, G, B

Note	Interval	Degree
C	Root	1
E	Major 3rd	3
G	Perfect 5th	5
B	Major 7th	7

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
C	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
E	white	index finger (2)	middle finger (3)
G	white	middle finger (3)	index finger (2)
B	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on C, index finger (2) on E, middle finger (3) on G, little finger (5) on B.

Left hand: little finger (5) on C, middle finger (3) on E, index finger (2) on G, thumb (1) on B.

C Major 7th Inversions

Root position
C – E – G – B
1st inversion (Cmaj7/E)
E – G – B – C
2nd inversion (Cmaj7/G)
G – B – C – E
3rd inversion (Cmaj7/B)
B – C – E – G

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C Major 7th is the tonic (I) chord of C Major, whose key signature has no sharps or flats.

Chords in the Key of C Major

These are the triads built on each degree of C Major:

I — C Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	C Major	Major
2	ii	D Minor	Minor
3	iii	E Minor	Minor
4	IV	F Major	Major
5	V	G Major	Major
6	vi	A Minor	Minor
7	vii°	B Diminished	Diminished

How C Major 7th functions in a key

The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where C Major 7th sits diatonically across the common keys:

In C major, C Major 7th is the I chord — the tonic.
In E minor, C Major 7th is the VI chord — the tonic.
In G major, C Major 7th is the IV chord — a predominant.
In A minor, C Major 7th is the III chord — a mediant / color chord.

Scales That Include the C Major 7th

C Major (Imaj7)
G Major (IVmaj7)
A Minor (♭IIImaj7)
E Minor (♭VImaj7)
D Dorian (VII)
E Phrygian (VI)
F Lydian (V)
G Mixolydian (IV)

C Major 7th : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the C Major 7th chord on piano?

The C Major 7th chord contains the notes C – E – G – B. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.

What notes are in the C Major 7th chord?

The C Major 7th chord (Cmaj7) contains four notes: C (root), E (major third), G (perfect fifth), and B (major seventh). Unlike the dominant 7th which uses a minor seventh, the major 7th interval gives this chord its dreamy, sophisticated quality.

How does C Major 7th differ from C Dominant 7th?

Both contain C, E, and G. The difference is the seventh: Cmaj7 has B (major seventh, 11 semitones above root) while C7 has Bb (minor seventh, 10 semitones). That one semitone changes everything, Cmaj7 sounds lush and resolved, C7 sounds tense and wants to move.

How is C Major 7th used in music?

Cmaj7 is the I chord (tonic) in jazz harmony in C Major. It provides a richer, more colourful alternative to a plain C Major triad. It is a staple of jazz, bossa nova, neo-soul, and R&B: any style that values harmonic sophistication over simplicity.

What genres commonly use Major 7th chords?

Major 7th chords are foundational in jazz, bossa nova, neo-soul, R&B, city pop, and lo-fi hip-hop. They also appear in classical impressionism (Debussy, Ravel) and sophisticated pop. The smooth, dreamy quality of the major 7th makes it a signature sound of relaxed, harmonically rich music.

What songs use Major 7th chords?

Major 7th chords appear in The Girl from Ipanema (Jobim), Don't Know Why (Norah Jones), and countless jazz standards. Stevie Wonder's catalogue is filled with major 7th voicings. The chord's warm, sophisticated sound makes it a favourite in singer-songwriter and neo-soul contexts.

Can I substitute C Major 7th for C Major?

Yes: in most contexts, Cmaj7 can replace a plain C Major chord for added colour. The exception is when the melody note is C itself, because C and B (the major seventh) are only a semitone apart and can clash. Check the melody before substituting.

C Major 7th in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	C3 E3 G3 B3	11	151 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	E3 G3 B3 C4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	G3 B3 C4 E4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	B3 C4 E4 G4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	G2 C3 E3 B3	16	220 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	E2 C3 G3 B3	19	261 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	C2 G2 E3 B3	23	316 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Shell, root 7 3	C2 B2 E3	16	220 mm	omits G	subset
Guide tones, 3 and 7	E3 B3	7	96 mm	omits C and G	subset
Rootless close	E3 G3 B3	7	96 mm	omits C	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	C	C3, E3, G3, B3	7	11	151 mm
First inversion: Cmaj7/E	E	E3, G3, B3, C4	6/5	8	110 mm
Second inversion: Cmaj7/G	G	G3, B3, C4, E4	4/3	9	124 mm
Third inversion: Cmaj7/B	B	B3, C4, E4, G4	4/2	8	110 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Progression	Key	Role	Sequence	Voice leading
ii, V, I	C major	Imaj7	Dm7 to G7 to Cmaj7	2 tones held from G7
IV, I	C major	Imaj7	Fmaj7 to Cmaj7	2 tones held from Fmaj7
I, vi, ii, V	C major	Imaj7	Cmaj7 to Am7 to Dm7 to G7	Cmaj7 opens the phrase
♭VI, iv, i, v	E minor	♭VImaj7	Cmaj7 to Am7 to Em7 to Bm7	Cmaj7 opens the phrase
i, ♭VI	E minor	♭VImaj7	Em7 to Cmaj7	3 tones held from Em7
IV, V, I	G major	IVmaj7	Cmaj7 to D7 to Gmaj7	Cmaj7 opens the phrase
I, IV	G major	IVmaj7	Gmaj7 to Cmaj7	2 tones held from Gmaj7
♭III, ♭VI, ii, v	A minor	♭IIImaj7	Cmaj7 to Fmaj7 to Bm7♭5 to Em7	Cmaj7 opens the phrase
i, ♭III	A minor	♭IIImaj7	Am7 to Cmaj7	3 tones held from Am7

Root motion, common tones and voice displacement are computed from pitch class sets. Roman numerals follow common practice functional harmony.

Which keys it belongs to

Key	Roman numeral	Function
C major	Imaj7	Tonic, home
E minor	♭VImaj7	Pre-dominant color
G major	IVmaj7	Subdominant, away from home
A minor	♭IIImaj7	Relative-major color

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
Cmaj9	adds D	1 3 5 7 9	4
C	drops B	1 3 5	3
C7	B becomes B♭	1 3 5 ♭7	3
CmMaj7	E becomes E♭	1 ♭3 5 7	3
C6	B becomes A	1 3 5 6	3
Cadd9	B becomes D	1 3 5 9	3
C9	B becomes B♭, D	1 3 5 ♭7 9	3
Cm	E, B becomes E♭	1 ♭3 5	2
Caug	G, B becomes G♯	1 3 ♯5	2
Csus2	E, B becomes D	1 2 5	2
Csus4	E, B becomes F	1 4 5	2
Cm7	E, B becomes E♭, B♭	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
C3	48	130.81 Hz
E3	52	164.81 Hz
G3	55	196.00 Hz
B3	59	246.94 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {0, 4, 7, 11}
Normal order: [11, 0, 4, 7]
Prime form: (0158)
Forte number: 4-20
Interval vector: <101220>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
C to E	Major third	4	4
C to G	Perfect fifth	7	5
C to B	Major seventh	11	1
E to G	Minor third	3	3
E to B	Perfect fifth	7	5
G to B	Major third	4	4

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a major 7th applied to the root C, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

C Major 7th

Fingerings

C Major 7th: notes and degrees