How to play the Ebmaj7 chord on guitar

The Ebmaj7 chord, pronounced "E flat major seventh," is a rich and complex chord that adds a dreamy, jazzy flavor to your playing. Notable for its smooth sound, the Ebmaj7 is often used in jazz, R&B, and neo-soul genres. Songs like "Girl from Ipanema" and "Isn't She Lovely" showcase this chord's potential to create a sophisticated and mellow atmosphere in your music.

The standard way to play the Ebmaj7 chord on guitar is as a barre chord on the 6th fret.

Follow these finger positions to play a Ebmaj7 chord on your guitar:

1. Barre your index finger across all six strings on the 6th fret.
2. Place your middle finger on the 7th fret of the 3rd (G) string.
3. Place your ring finger on the 8th fret of the 5th (A) string.
4. Place your pinky finger on the 8th fret of the 4th (D) string.

To strum this chord, use your pick or thumb to strum downward, hitting all six strings. Alternatively, you can pluck the individual strings one at a time for a more delicate sound.

If you're a beginner looking to play a simpler version of the Ebmaj7 chord, try this:

1. Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the 3rd (G) string.
2. Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th (A) string.
3. Leave the other strings open.
4. Strum from the 5th (A) string down to the 1st (high E) string.

Playing the Ebmaj7 chord as a barre chord can be a great way to add variety and richness to your guitar playing, especially when transitioning between other barre chords.

Here's how to play an Ebmaj7 barre chord:

1. Place your index finger across all six strings on the 6th fret, creating a barre.
2. Place your middle finger on the 7th fret of the 3rd (G) string.
3. Place your ring finger on the 8th fret of the 5th (A) string.
4. Place your pinky finger on the 8th fret of the 4th (D) string.
5. Strum from the 6th (low E) string down to the 1st (high E) string.

The Ebmaj7 chord is often used in progressions to add a dreamy, nostalgic, or bittersweet feel to a song. Some common chord progressions featuring Ebmaj7 include:

• I - V7sus4 - Imaj7 - IV6: Ebmaj7 - Bb7sus4 - Ebmaj7 - Abmaj7/C
• ii7 - V7 - Imaj7: Fm7 - Bb7 - Ebmaj7
• Imaj7 - iii7 - vi7 - ii7 - V7: Ebmaj7 - Gm7 - Cm7 - Fm7 - Bb7 (Used in "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Misty")
• Imaj7 - V7/ii - ii7 - V7: Ebmaj7 - A7 - Fm7 - Bb7
• Imaj7 - VII7 - III7 - VI7: Ebmaj7 - D7 - G7 - C7

To master the Ebmaj7 guitar chord, try this simple drill: play each note of the chord (Eb, G, Bb, and D) individually, letting each ring out clearly. Once comfortable, play the notes together as a chord, strumming slowly and ensuring each note sounds clean and crisp.

Another effective drill is to practice transitioning to and from Ebmaj7. Choose a chord you know well, like C or G, and alternate between playing it and Ebmaj7. Focus on smooth, precise transitions, gradually increasing your speed as you become more confident with the changes.

Here are 10 popular songs you can play with the Ebmaj7 chord.

1. Stay by Post Malone (Ebmaj7, Db/F, Abm7, Ebm7)
2. Shallow by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper (Ebmaj7, Db, Ab, Fm7, Bbm)
3. All of Me by John Legend (Ebmaj7, Cm7, Gm7, Bb7sus4)
4. The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra (Ebmaj7, Eb6, Fm7, Bb7)
5. Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars (Ebmaj7, Gm7, Cm7, Abmaj7)
6. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran (Ebmaj7, Gm7, Cm7, Fm7, Bb7sus4)
7. Hello by Adele (Ebmaj7, Cm, Ab, Eb/G)
8. I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston (Ebmaj7, Abmaj7, Db/F, Cm7, Bb7sus4)
9. Love on the Brain by Rihanna (Ebmaj7, Ebm7, Db, Cm)
10. Everything by Michael Bublé (Ebmaj7, Bbm7, Fm7, Abmaj7)