IntermediateMinor 7th

Am7 Chord

The Am7 is a minor 7th chord that sounds smooth, soulful, and jazzy. Minor 7th chords blend the emotional depth of minor chords with a smoothness that makes them staples of soul, funk, and jazz. Less tense than dominant 7ths, more colorful than plain minors.

Notes:ARoot (1)CMinor 3rd (b3)EPerfect 5th (5)GMinor 7th (b7)

Open Position

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Chord Diagrams

Position — Fret 5

Uses a barre chord technique

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Open Position (Alt)

Uses a barre chord technique

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How to Play Am7

Follow these steps for the open position fingering:

Barre technique: Press your index finger flat across all strings at fret 5 to form the barre, then add the remaining fingers on top.
#StringInstructionNote
1Low E (6th string)Fret 5 with your index fingerA
2A (5th string)Fret 7 with your ring fingerC
3D (4th string)Fret 7 with your pinky fingerE
4G (3rd string)Fret 5 with your index fingerG
5B (2nd string)Fret 5 with your index fingerA
6High E (1st string)Fret 5 with your index fingerC

= Open string (no fingers needed)

= Muted string (don't play)

= Press your finger down firmly just behind the fret

Notes in Am7

The Am7 chord is built from 4 distinct notes, each serving a harmonic role:

A
Root (1)
The root — gives the chord its name
C
Minor 3rd (b3)
The minor third — creates the darker sound
E
Perfect 5th (5)
The fifth — adds power and stability
G
Minor 7th (b7)
Extended tone — adds richness and color

Songs Using Am7

These songs from our play-along library feature the Am7 chord:

Other A Chords

Explore other chord types built on the same root note:

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Explore on Fretboard

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