How to Play an Open Position C-Major 7th Chord on the Guitar

This article will teach you how to play an open position C-Major 7th Chord. Major 7th Chords are known for their sweet, pretty sound. They are used widely in Jazz and other popular music. Major 7th chords are built from the first, third, fifth, and seventh degrees of the Major Scale.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 6-String Acoustic or Electric Guitar

1. Make sure your guitar is in tune. Use an electronic tuner, keyboard or piano to tune your guitar.

2. Place your third (ring) finger behind the third fret on the fifth string of the guitar. Frets are the metal ridges on the fingerboard of the guitar. The strings on the guitar are numbered from 1 to 6 with the thinnest string being the first string and the thickest string being the sixth.

3. Place your second (middle) finger behind the second fret on the fourth string.

4. Play each note in the chord individually making sure that each note sounds clean and clear.

5. Strum the entire chord from the fifth string down to the first. Do not play the sixth string in this chord.

Resources

• Guitar Alliance
• Blues Guitar Instruction
• Acoustic Guitar Jamorama!
• Music Dispatch