Chords
Minor seventh chord
A minor seventh chord (m7) is a minor triad with a minor seventh added: Am7 = A C E G. It is the chord found on degrees ii, iii and vi of a major key.
What is a minor seventh chord?
The m7 chord is the seventh chord with the formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7: a minor chord plus a minor seventh, 10 semitones above the root. Am7 = A C E G, Dm7 = D F A C, Em7 = E G B D, Cm7 = C E♭ G B♭.
Symbols: m7, min7 or -7 (A-7). Softer than a plain minor chord, the m7 sounds relaxed and slightly jazzy. A useful fact: Am7 and C6 contain the same notes (A C E G), only the bass changes.
How do you play a minor seventh chord on guitar?
Open shapes, from low E to high E:
| Chord | Shape | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Am7 | x02010 | A E G C E |
| Em7 | 022030 | E B E G D E |
| Em7 (alternative) | 020000 | E B D G B E |
| Dm7 | xx0211 | D A C F |
Movable barre shapes. Root on the 6th string: Am7 = 575555 (A E G C E A), Gm7 = 353333. Root on the 5th string: Dm7 = x57565, Cm7 = x35343. These two shapes give you all twelve m7 chords.
Where does the m7 chord appear in a key?
In a major key, three of the seven diatonic chords are m7: ii7, iii7 and vi7. In C: Dm7, Em7, Am7. In G: Am7, Bm7, Em7. In a minor key, the i7 is also an m7 (Am7 in A minor).
The ii7 opens the ii-V-I: Dm7, G7, Cmaj7 in C. And an m7 held over a long vamp instantly suggests the Dorian mode: Dm7 on its own, with the scale D E F G A B C.
Exercise: ii-V-I and a Dorian vamp
1. The barre ii-V-I. Play Dm7 x57565, G7 353433, Cmaj7 x35453. Your hand stays between frets 3 and 7, two bars per chord.
2. The Dorian vamp. Alternate Am7 x02010 and D xx0232, one bar each. The F♯ in the D chord is the major sixth of A: that is the note that makes it sound like A Dorian rather than A natural minor.
If you stumble onto another m7 shape while experimenting, the chord identifier confirms its name and inversion.
Common mistakes with m7 chords
- Confusing m7 with m(maj7): Cm7 has B♭, Cm(maj7) has B. The second sounds very tense, like a film-noir soundtrack.
- A weak barre on
575555: on the 4th string, the G (the seventh) is played only by your index barre at the 5th fret. If it buzzes or is muted, the chord loses its seventh. - Assuming m7 means sad: on the ii and vi chords of a pop song, an m7 actually softens the progression.
Key takeaways
- Formula: 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 (Am7 = A C E G).
- Degrees ii, iii and vi of a major key, i in a minor key.
- Core shapes: Am7
x02010, Em7022030, Dm7xx0211, barres575555andx35343. - Am7 and C6 share the same notes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Am and Am7?
Am7 adds G, the minor seventh: A C E G instead of A C E. On guitar, just lift your ring finger off the 3rd string: x02210 becomes x02010.
What scale do you play over an m7 chord?
It depends on the chord's degree. Over a ii7 (Dm7 in C), the Dorian mode. Over a vi7 (Am7 in C), Aeolian (natural minor). Over a iii7 (Em7 in C), Phrygian. The minor pentatonic on the root works in all three cases.
What does A-7 mean on a chord chart?
The "-" sign is shorthand for minor, common on jazz charts: A-7 = Am7 = A C E G. A- on its own means the minor triad Am.
Related terms
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