Banjo Cmaj7 chord (Open D)C major seventh on the 5-string banjo: 2 5 3 5, and 3 more shapes
Frets, string 4 to string 1: 2 5 3 5 (from the 2nd fret)
- String 4 (D): 2nd fret, index finger, E
- String 3 (F♯): 5th fret, ring finger, B
- String 2 (A): 3rd fret, middle finger, C
- String 1 (D): 5th fret, little finger, G
- String 5, the short f♯: open, F♯, not in the chord
Sounds: E B C G · Cmaj7 is C, E, G, B (1 · 3 · 5 · 7)
The 5th string: the short f♯ rubs against the G in this shape, a semitone away: some players let it ring, some skip it.
With a capo: on the 5th fret it’s 0 1 2 0 (frets counted from the capo), an open Gmaj7 shape. Spike the 5th string at the 10th fret to keep it in tune with the capo.
Open D tuning: f♯DF♯AD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.
The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts in open G. Choose Open D once in its Settings and it remembers.
More Cmaj7 shapes
- 5 6 7 9
5fr - 10 10 7 9
7fr · no 5th - 10 10 10 9
9fr
Other C chords in Open D
Other major seventh chords
Cmaj7 in other tunings
All Open D banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app