Root 6 Major Seventh Bar Chord
Emaj7
The root 6 major seventh bar chord is based upon the open E major seventh (Emaj7) chord.
If this open shape is played as a bar chord on the third fret it becomes a Gmaj7 chord as shown on the chord diagram.
Gmaj7 bar chord Sharp
Gmaj7 Jazz chord Sharp
This root 6 major seventh shape is not commonly used because its voicing (i.e., how the notes in the chord are arranged) does not sound as good as the alternate root 6 major seventh chord shape. This alternative chord shape is not a bar chord but it is movable along the fretboard with its root note also being on the 6th string. The notes in the alternative shape are from the bar chord shape. This alternative shape is commonly used by Jazz guitarists and is often referred to as a Jazz shape.
The X on the string indicates these strings are deadened by another finger of the left hand lightly touching it.
All six strings of this chord shape are strummed but the two deadened strings are not heard.
Play the following Root 6 chord progression using the Jazz chord shape for the Root 6 major seventh chord.
Rhythm Pattern
More Jazz chord shapes and progressions can be found in Progressive Jazz Guitar by Gary Turner and Steve Sutton.
