Read left to right, 4th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string.
- Index finger flat across the top 2 strings, from the E string up at the 2nd fret — the barre.
- Middle finger on the 3rd fret of the G string (4th).
- Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the C string (3rd).
String by string
What each string does in this shape, and which note of the chord it sounds. This is what to listen for when you pluck them one at a time.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | In the chord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th (G) | fret 3 | middle | A♯4 | major seventh |
| 3rd (C) | fret 3 | ring | D♯4 | third |
| 2nd (E) | fret 2 | index | F♯4 | fifth |
| 1st (A) | fret 2 | index | B4 | root |
One string at a time: a chord strummed into a microphone is several notes at once, and a single string is something the page can hear exactly. A string in tune but on the wrong fret, or deadened by the finger beside it, shows up here and not on a tuner. Tap a string to check it again.
2 other ways to play Bmaj7
The same 4 notes, somewhere else on the neck. A different shape puts a different note on top, so each one colours the chord slightly differently — and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- 4666A shape at the 4th fret · four fingers
- 8-10-7-9A shape at the 7th fret · four fingers
If the usual shape is too hard for now
Or use a capo: clamp it at the 1st fret and play the B♭maj7 shape. Every string is raised 1 semitone, so that open shape now sounds Bmaj7.
Holding it cleanly
The barre is the hard part. Lay the index finger just behind the 2nd fret, roll it slightly onto its bony outer edge, and keep the thumb behind the neck opposite it. Pluck the barred strings one at a time: a buzz or a dead string means the finger is not flat there yet.
The notes in Bmaj7
A major seventh chord is built from the root (1), 3, 5 and 7 of its root’s major scale. From B that gives B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯. A major chord with the note a semitone under its root added: soft, open, and at rest.
The same root, other chords: B major, Bm, B7, Bm7, Bsus2, Bsus4, Bdim, Baug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Bmaj7 chord?
B major seventh is four notes: B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯ — the root, 3, 5 and 7 of the B major scale. On ukulele the shape 3322 sounds A♯4, D♯4, F♯4 and B4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play Bmaj7 on ukulele?
The usual shape is 3322 — a barre chord at the 2nd fret, with a barre at the 2nd fret and two more fingers. Or put a capo on the 1st fret and play the B♭maj7 shape, which then sounds Bmaj7.
What is the difference between Bmaj7 and B7?
Bmaj7 has the natural seventh (A♯), a semitone below the root; B7 flattens it another semitone. Bmaj7 is soft and at rest; B7 is restless and leads somewhere. A songbook that says B7 does not mean Bmaj7.