Piano for Beginners 6th ED - 2016 UK

Playing the piano

T

he major seventh, notated as Maj7 (or

M7), is formed of four notes: a root, major

third, perfect fifth and a major seventh

note. This is why you may also hear it

referred to as the major major seventh. It is the most

dissonant of the seventh chords, meaning it can

sound inharmonious if used out of place. However

many composers favour the major seventh chord for

its dreamy, airy sound – think of the first line of Close

To Yo u by the Carpenters.

Subtle dissimilarities in how this family of chords

are noted can produce very different harmonies. In

particular, be careful to not confuse M7 with m7 (a

minor seventh) as both the third and seventh notes

are altered. Let us work through a simple example

of a Maj7 chord: To play CMaj7 first form the major

triad (C-E-G). As with other seventh chords, instead

of playing this with the fingering 1 - 3 - 5 in the right or

5 - 3 - 1 in the left, try to use 1 -2- 3 or 5 - 3 -2 respectively.

This leaves your fifth finger or thumb free to add the

major seventh to the chord – this note will be four

semitones above the perfect fifth, in this example, B.

You can locate the major seventh by counting one

semitone down from the root note. As there are four

notes, a seventh chord will have a third inversion

beginning on the major 7th itself; CMaj7 in the third

inversion would be B-C-E-G. M7 chords are normally

used as transition rather than resolution chords.

Major seventh

chords

Used correctly these will add a beautiful quality to your playing

“Many composers favour

the major seventh chord for

its dreamy, airy sound”

CMaj7 (C-E-G-B)

Using the fingering 1 -2- 3 - 5 in the right hand and 5 - 3 -2- 1 in the left, practise

locating the chord in its root position. Keeping the same fingering, move to the

first inversion and then the second before returning to the root.

GMaj7 (G-B-D-F#)

Here you have only been given the notation for the root, first and third

inversions – the third starting on the seventh itself. It’s up to you to identify the

second inversion – remember to start on the perfect fifth.

Top tip

Use both hands

to form the chord

While using four fingers on one

hand to form a seventh chord is the

best way to play one, you can try

playing two notes of the chord with

your left hand, and then another

two with the right hand. They

don’t even have to be of the same

octave. Try playing C and G with

the left hand and then E

and B with the right.

Playing Maj7 chords

Let us work through two simple examples in the right and left hand