A Major 7th Chord (Amaj7) on Piano
The Amaj7 chord (A major 7th) is built from 4 notes: A – C# – E – G#.
Play these notes on a MIDI keyboard, your computer keyboard, or the on-screen keys and ChordKeys will name the chord back to you.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from A | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | root | 0 |
| C# | 3 | major 3rd | 4 |
| E | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| G# | 7 | major 7th | 11 |
Inversions
Rearranging which note sits at the bottom gives you 4 playable voicings of the same chord. Inversions let you move between chords with less hand movement.
| Voicing | Notes | Bass note |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | A – C# – E – G# | A in the bass |
| 1st inversion | C# – E – G# – A | C# in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | E – G# – A – C# | E in the bass |
| 3rd inversion | G# – A – C# – E | G# in the bass |
How the major 7th chord is built
Every major 7th chord uses the same interval formula: 1 (0 semitones), 3 (4 semitones), 5 (7 semitones), 7 (11 semitones). Starting on A and applying that formula produces A, C#, E, G#. Learn the formula once and you can build a major 7th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Amaj7
Every note of Amaj7 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on A
Major 7th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Amaj7 chord?
A Amaj7 chord contains the notes A, C#, E, G#. Those are the 1, 3, 5, 7 degrees measured from the root note A.
How do you play Amaj7 on piano?
Place your thumb on A, then add C# and E and G# above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–2–3–5.