January 24, 2008
Beautiful E Sansula Tuning:
The Emajor7 Chord

The E chord can also be turned into a 7th chord, but it is a major 7th. In this chord, the major modifies the 7th: it is not a dominant or flattened 7th, but a major 7th.

If you will look back at the E chord in this previous tip, you'll see that we made an "M"-shaped chord using low B, G#, low E, high E, and high B. The 7th of the E chord is D#, which is only a half step down from E (the 8th or an octave above the root - the definition of a major 7th). These two notes are so close that it would not be a good idea to play them at the same time, so we drop the high E from the chord and add the D#, or 7th.

This is the kind of chord that opens the old Chicago song "Color my World", or John Denver's "Annie's Song" ("Lady, Are You Crying?"). The major 7th gives it a very sweet and sentimental sound.

Watch How to Change Sansula Tunings to Beautiful E

You can purchase a Sansula at the Kalimba Shop.