Major Chords For Jazz Guitar
Major Chords For Jazz Guitar
Major Chords For Jazz Guitar
By Dirk Laukens
Major chords are one of the most commonly used and important to learn jazz guitar chord shapes.
They are found in just about every major-key jazz standard in the repertoire. Maj7 chords are
essential knowledge for any jazz guitarist to have under his fingers, in different inversions and on
various string sets of the guitar.
Major chords are used as the tonic chord in a major key, and the resolution chord in the
famous ii-V-I chord progression.
This lesson will help you understand how to build, play, practice, and apply maj7 chords in
your jazz guitar playing.
The most important major chord type is Maj7, but there are plenty of other major
chord variations, such as major 6 chords and major augmented chords.
Here’s a list of the major chord types you will learn in this lesson:
• Major 7
• Major 6
• Major 9
• Major 6(9)
• Major 13
• Major 7#11
• Major 7#5
Basic Major 7th Chords
Before you begin your study of major chords on the guitar, let’s take a look at a definition
for these commonly used jazz chords.
Maj7 chords are four-note shapes that contain the interval pattern 1 3 5 7.
To help you hear and see these chords in action, here are two closed-position maj7
chords, meaning that all intervals 1 3 5 7 are played in order on the guitar.
While these two shapes sit well on the fretboard, most closed position chords are tough to
play, which is why we shuffle around the intervals of the chord to form new shapes on
various string sets of the guitar.
Learning how to play major chords in different inversions and on various string sets around
the fretboard will be the focus of this lesson.
Basic Maj7 Chord Voicings
Let’s start with the basic jazz guitar chords that everyone should know. Here are 6 Maj7
chords that are essential for every jazz guitarist.
Memorize these and start using them over chord progressions and jazz standards as soon
as possible.
Major 7 Drop 3 Voicings
To begin our study of major jazz guitar chords, let’s take a look at drop 3 chords of the
major type with the lowest note of each chord on the 6th string.
Drop 3 Maj7 chords are built with the following interval structure:
Besides being used in Bossa Nova, major 6 chords are also a good option to end a tune
because they sound more stable compared to major 7 chords.
Here are 4 common C6 voicings that you should memorize and apply to jazz standards:
Major 9 Chords
Next, you will add the 9 to the major chord, making it more colorful.
Interval structure = 1 3 5 7 9
Major 13 Chords
Major 13 chords are major chords where the 6 (=13) and 7 are combined in one chord.
These chords can have other tensions as well, such as the 9 and #11.
Interval structure = 1 3 5 7 (9) (#11) 13
Major 7#11 Chords
Maj7#11 chords are also known as Lydian major chords. They are usually played on a
IVmaj7.
These chords are ideal to end a tune with a bit of tension.
Interval structure = 1 3 5 7 (9) #11
Major #5 Chords
Major #5 chords are also known as major augmented chords. A major augmented chord
is the 3rd degree of an harmonic minor scale or a melodic minor scale.
Interval structure = 1 3 #5 7
How To Improvise Over Major 7 Chords
Here are 4 tools you can use to solo over major 7 chords.
C Major Scale C D E F G A B
Over Cmaj7 1 9 3 11 5 6 7
Here’s the C Ionian mode in its root position on the guitar neck:
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The Major Bebop Scale
The major bebop scale is a major scale with a chromatic passing tone between the 6 and
5 (b6).
C Major 7 Arpeggio
A C major 7 arpeggio is obviously a good choice to play over Cmaj7 chords.
E Minor 7 Arpeggio
An em7 arpeggio over Cmaj7 gives you the 9 sound:
Em7 Arpeggio E G B D
Played over Cmaj7 3 5 7 9
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Guitar Chord Shapes
An effective way to outline the harmony of a song is by playing single note lines that follow
the shape of a guitar voicing.
Play the chord voicing like you would play an arpeggio, fret one note at a time and do not
let the notes ring.
The following guitar lick uses the outlines of basic chord voicings, starting with a Cmaj7
shape, going to a G triad, and back to a Cmaj7 shape.
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How to Improvise over Major 6 Chords
The C Major Pentatonic Scale
The C major (=A minor) pentatonic scale is the C major scale minus 2 notes (11 and 7).
The 7 and 11 are omitted, which gives this scale a bit more basic and less colorful sound.
Such a sound can be effective for major chords with a strong tonic function (like ending
chords) or for traditional jazz styles like swing.
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A Minor 7 Arpeggio
The Am7 arpeggio gives you the C triad + the 6.
Am7 Arpeggio A C E G
Played over C6 6 1 3 5
How to Improvise over Major #11 Chords
The Lydian Mode
The Lydian mode is the 4th degree of the major modes and is played over major chords
that have a IV function.
Its only difference with the normal major scale is the #11. Because the 11 is raised a half
tone, there is no avoid note in the Lydian mode.
C Lydian Mode C D E F# G A B
Played over Cmaj7 1 9 3 #11 5 6 7
In this example, I start with a blues lick and end with an F#m7b5 arpeggio.
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G Major 7 Arpeggio
A Gmaj7 arpeggio is a good choice to play over Cmaj7#11 because it contains both the 9
and #11.
Gmaj7 Arpeggio G B D F#
Played over Cmaj7 5 7 9 #11
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B Minor 7 Arpeggio
A Bm7 arpeggio is good for ad lib phrases on ending chords because it contains the 6, 9
and #11, all popular tensions for end voicings.
Bm7 Arpeggio B D F# A
Played over #1
7 9 6
Cmaj7 1