A Minor 7th
Am7
Notes
A · C · E · G
Intervals
- RootA (1P)
- Minor 3rdC (3m)
- Perfect 5thE (5P)
- Minor 7thG (7m)
Fretboard
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Voicings & shapes
Drop-2 voicings (12)
Drop-3 voicings (8)
Shell voicings (2)
About
The A minor 7th (A–C–E–G) combines a minor triad with a minor seventh. The G softens the minor triad, giving m7 a more open, fluid sound than a plain minor chord. The C and G are the two essential tones — together they define both the minor quality and the seventh extension; the 5th can be dropped. In jazz, m7 is the standard ii in major ii–V–I progressions (Am7 → D7 → GMaj7) and a common tonic color in modal contexts. In funk and soul, it provides warmth without the tension of a dominant chord. Compared to Am, m7 is less tense and more harmonically relaxed; compared to Am9, less ornamental.
Chord diagrams
A Minor 7th voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- A Blues (deg 1)
- A Dorian (I)
- A Minor Pentatonic (deg 1)
- A Natural Minor (I)
- A Phrygian (I)
- B Locrian (VII)
- B Phrygian (VII)
- B♭ Diminished (deg 8)
- B♭ Lydian (VII)
- C Lydian (VI)
- C Major (VI)
- C Major Pentatonic (deg 5)
- C Mixolydian (VI)
- D Dorian (V)
- D Mixolydian (V)
- D Natural Minor (V)
- D♭ Diminished (deg 6)
- E Diminished (deg 4)
- E Harmonic Minor (IV)
- E Locrian (IV)
- E Natural Minor (IV)
- E Phrygian (IV)
- F Lydian (III)
- F Major (III)
- F♯ Locrian (III)
- G Diminished (deg 2)
- G Dorian (II)
- G Major (II)
- G Melodic Minor (II)
- G Mixolydian (II)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.