Amaj7 6-string bass chord

How to play Amaj7 on 6-string bass

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

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

What notes are in Amaj7?

Amaj7, A major seventh, is A, C♯, E and G♯: the root (A), the major third (C♯), the perfect fifth (E) and the major seventh (G♯). Its formula is 1 3 5 7.

Are Amaj7 and A7 the same?

No. Amaj7 has the major seventh, G♯, a half step below the root; A7 has the minor seventh, G. Amaj7 sounds calm and open, the sound of jazz ballads and bossa nova; A7 sounds like it has somewhere to go.

Can I play A instead of Amaj7?

Yes. Amaj7 is A with G♯ added, so A does the same job with a plainer sound.

Keys with Amaj7

Amaj7 is the IVmaj7 chord in E major, the Imaj7 chord in A major, the VImaj7 chord in C♯ minor and the IIImaj7 chord in F♯ minor.