Maj7 Chords

[hhold]

Hi

Do you ever playMaj7 chords with the leading note at the bottom?
eg Cmaj7 4-2-3-x (bottom string to top).
I've never seen anyone play it tis way but it sounds ok to me. Any thoughts?

[Phil Goodson]

I often use that shape as a walk down: 5-2-3->4-2-3->2-2-3-x (C->Cmaj7->Am)

[Pete Martin]

As long as it sound good to you AND good in the context of who you are playing with, use it.

I rarely use it the way you mentioned (4-2-3-x) as the major 7 interval in 5-2-2-x (C to B) becomes a b9 interval in 4-2-3-x (B to C). This sound is much more used in dominant chords, not major (I'm talking JAZZ major chords, Maj7 and 6th).

I OFTEN use the major 7 on the bottom voicing for a rootless Jazz C Major 7, 4-2-5-x. This spells out 7-3-9. I hear piano players (particularly Bill Evans) in the 50s and 60s use this 3 7 9 sound for rootless major chords. I also use 4-5-7 as a rootless C major a lot (spells 7 5 3).

I go into these 1950s and 1960s rootless 3 string piano type voicings extensively in Chapters 8 - 10 of my book "Jazz Chording for Mandolin". It is a free PDF download at either of the websites below.