Emaj7 6-string bass chord

How to play Emaj7 on 6-string bass

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

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

What notes are in Emaj7?

Emaj7, E major seventh, is E, G♯, B and D♯: the root (E), the major third (G♯), the perfect fifth (B) and the major seventh (D♯). Its formula is 1 3 5 7.

Are Emaj7 and E7 the same?

No. Emaj7 has the major seventh, D♯, a half step below the root; E7 has the minor seventh, D. Emaj7 sounds calm and open, the sound of jazz ballads and bossa nova; E7 sounds like it has somewhere to go.

Can I play E instead of Emaj7?

Yes. Emaj7 is E with D♯ added, so E does the same job with a plainer sound.

Keys with Emaj7

Emaj7 is the Imaj7 chord in E major, the IVmaj7 chord in B major, the IIImaj7 chord in C♯ minor and the VImaj7 chord in G♯ minor.