Start with C in your left hand and play E, G, and B in your right hand. Then try the same notes in a different order and listen for the voicing that feels most natural under your fingers.
Build the chord
Begin with a C major triad: C, E, and G. Add B, the note one semitone below the next C. That B is the major seventh and gives Cmaj7 its distinctive sound.
For a compact right-hand shape, play C–E–G–B from bottom to top. You can also put C in your left hand and play E–G–B with your right. Both contain the same four chord tones.
Practice the sound
Play C major, then add B. Compare the sound before and after the seventh appears. Next, move from Cmaj7 to Fmaj7 (F–A–C–E) and listen to how the upper notes travel.
Put it into music
Open the chord finder, choose a chord, and put it into the progression you are practicing.
Open chord finder →