Am7 Chord on Guitar
Notes A C E G. Start with open Am7 (x 0 2 0 1 0): the open Am with the ring finger lifted off string 3.
Chord · Am7 minor 7th
Open Am7 · x 0 2 0 1 0
open strings
Am7, G on top · x 0 2 2 1 3
open strings
Em7-shape barre (fret 5) · 5 7 5 5 5 5
barre, movable
Am7-shape barre (fret 12) · x 12 14 12 13 12
barre, movable
1 A♭3 C5 E♭7 G
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): open
- String 4 (D): middle (2), fret 2
- String 3 (G): open
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 1
- String 1 (high e): open
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): open
- String 4 (D): middle (2), fret 2
- String 3 (G): ring (3), fret 2
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 1
- String 1 (high e): pinky (4), fret 3
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 5
- String 6 (low E): index (1), fret 5
- String 5 (A): ring (3), fret 7
- String 4 (D): index (1), fret 5
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 5
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 5
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 5
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at fret 12
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 12
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 14
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 12
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 13
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 12
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from A |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | root |
| ♭3 | C | minor 3rd |
| 5 | E | perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | G | minor 7th |
Formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 (minor 7th).
Also written Amin7, A minor 7th.
More on this chord type: Minor 7th chords · 7th chords explained
Capo shapes that sound as Am7
Open shapes you may already know, moved up with a capo.
Em7 shape + capo 5
Need the capo fret for a whole song? Capo calculator: any song key, any shapes. New to the capo? How to use a capo.
Keys that contain Am7
| Key | Am7 is the |
|---|---|
| A minor | i7 |
| D minor | v7 |
| E minor | iv7 |
| C major | vi7 |
| G major | ii7 |
| F major | iii7 |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing Am7: what goes wrong
Am7 in ii–V–I
Am7 is the ii7 chord of G major: Am7, D7, G is the ii–V–I cadence with open chords only. In C major it is the vi7, in F major the iii7.
Am7 and C share two fingers
Open C (x 3 2 0 1 0) and open Am7 (x 0 2 0 1 0) have the same index and middle fingers. Only the ring finger on string 5 fret 3 comes and goes.
Related chords
Learn and practise Am7
- Metronomepractise the change to Am7 at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in Am7?
A, C, E, G: the 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7 of the Am7 minor 7th chord.
What is the difference between Am and Am7?
Am7 adds G, the flat 7th: A, C, E, G. In the open shapes the finger on string 3 fret 2 comes off and the open G string sounds.