Bmaj7 5-string bass chord

How to play Bmaj7 on 5-string bass

The most common way, the first shape above: lay your index finger flat across the two strings from the A to the D at the 1st fret and your ring finger on the E string at the 2nd fret. Let the B string ring open. Don’t play the G string.

From the B string 0 2 1 1 x (x: not played, 0: open)

What notes are in Bmaj7?

Bmaj7, B major seventh, is B, D♯, F♯ and A♯: the root (B), the major third (D♯), the perfect fifth (F♯) and the major seventh (A♯). Its formula is 1 3 5 7.

Are Bmaj7 and B7 the same?

No. Bmaj7 has the major seventh, A♯, a half step below the root; B7 has the minor seventh, A. Bmaj7 sounds calm and open, the sound of jazz ballads and bossa nova; B7 sounds like it has somewhere to go.

Can I play B instead of Bmaj7?

Yes. Bmaj7 is B with A♯ added, so B does the same job with a plainer sound.

Keys with Bmaj7

Bmaj7 is the IVmaj7 chord in F♯ major, the Imaj7 chord in B major, the VImaj7 chord in E♭ minor and the IIImaj7 chord in G♯ minor.