A♭m7 chord on guitar
A♭m7 (A flat minor 7th) is a minor 7th chord built on A♭. It has 4 notes, A♭, C♭, E♭ and G♭, and its formula is 1 ♭3 5 ♭7.
Notes and intervals of A♭m7
From the root upwards, A♭m7 contains root (A♭), minor 3rd (C♭), perfect 5th (E♭) and minor 7th (G♭). Those intervals give the chord its colour: the formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 works the same way in every key, so once you know it for A♭ you can build the chord on any note.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | A♭ |
| ♭3 | minor 3rd | C♭ |
| 5 | perfect 5th | E♭ |
| ♭7 | minor 7th | G♭ |
How to play A♭m7 on guitar
The first shape above reads 4 6 4 4 4 4 from the low E string to the high E string (x means you do not play that string, 0 is an open string), starting at fret 4. The lowest note you play is A♭. The other diagrams show the same chord higher up the neck: pick the one closest to the chords before and after it in your song.
This is a barre or movable shape: keep your index finger straight and close to the fret, and press with the side of the finger rather than the flat pad.
Which keys use A♭m7?
You find A♭m7 as a diatonic chord in B major (vi7), G flat major (ii7) and E major (iii7). The most common case is B major, where it plays the role of vi7.
Scales to play over A♭m7
To improvise over A♭m7, start with A flat natural minor scale. All of these scales contain every note of the chord: A flat natural minor scale, A flat minor pentatonic scale, A flat blues scale, A flat Dorian mode and A flat Phrygian mode. Aim for the chord notes on strong beats and use the other notes to move between them.
About minor 7th chords
A minor triad plus a minor seventh: 1 ♭3 5 ♭7. Softer and more open than a plain minor chord, the minor seventh is mellow, slightly melancholic and has no urge to resolve. It contains a major triad on its ♭3, which is why it sounds warm rather than dark. For example Am7: A C E G, with C E G inside.
It sits naturally on ii, iii and vi of a major key, and on i, iv and v of the natural minor. Its star role is the ii7 of the ii-V-I: ii7 V7 Imaj7 (for example Dm7 G7 Cmaj7). Funk and soul vamp on one m7 for minutes, and pop uses vi7 and ii7 to soften plain triads.
Start with open Am7 (x02010), Em7 (022030 or 020000) and Dm7 (xx0211). Then learn the E-shape m7 barre (root on the 6th string) and the A-shape m7 barre (root on the 5th string): both are a minor barre with the octave replaced by the ♭7. Funk players love three or four-note versions on the top strings with short, muted strums.
m7 is not m(maj7): Am7 has G, Am(maj7) has G♯. Do not confuse it with m7♭5 either: lower the fifth and you get a half-diminished chord with a much tenser role. Finally, a m7 chord has the same four notes as the 6 chord on its ♭3 (Am7 and C6): the bass note decides which one you hear.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♭m7 chord?
A♭m7 (A flat minor 7th) contains A♭, C♭, E♭ and G♭. In intervals: root (A♭), minor 3rd (C♭), perfect 5th (E♭) and minor 7th (G♭).
How do you play A♭m7 on guitar?
The easiest shape is 4 6 4 4 4 4, from the low E string to the high E string, starting at fret 4. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with A♭m7?
A flat natural minor scale fits A♭m7 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: A flat minor pentatonic scale, A flat blues scale, A flat Dorian mode and A flat Phrygian mode.
What key is A♭m7 in?
A♭m7 belongs to B major (vi7), G flat major (ii7) and E major (iii7). In B major it is the vi7 chord.
Related
- See A♭m7 on piano
- B
- E♭m
- D♭m
- E♭7
- A♭
- A♭m
- A♭7
- A♭maj7
- A♭sus4
- A flat natural minor scale
- A flat minor pentatonic scale
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