F Major 7th Chord (Fmaj7) on Piano
The Fmaj7 chord (F major 7th) is built from 4 notes: F – A – C – E.
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 F | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | 1 | root | 0 |
| A | 3 | major 3rd | 4 |
| C | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| E | 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 | F – A – C – E | F in the bass |
| 1st inversion | A – C – E – F | A in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | C – E – F – A | C in the bass |
| 3rd inversion | E – F – A – C | E 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 F and applying that formula produces F, A, C, E. Learn the formula once and you can build a major 7th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Fmaj7
Every note of Fmaj7 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on F
Major 7th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Fmaj7 chord?
A Fmaj7 chord contains the notes F, A, C, E. Those are the 1, 3, 5, 7 degrees measured from the root note F.
How do you play Fmaj7 on piano?
Place your thumb on F, then add A and C and E above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–2–3–5.