Piano chords · Minor 7th chord

Fm7 piano chord (F minor seventh)

Fm7 is a minor seventh chord with 4 notes. It sounds mellow and smooth. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.

FA♭CE♭

F – A♭ – C – E♭ · tap any key to hear it

The notes of Fm7

Fm7 is built from 4 notes (1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7):

F, the root
A♭, the minor third
C, the fifth
E♭, the minor seventh

A♭ and E♭ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching.

Fingering

Right hand: 1 on F, 2 on A♭, 3 on C, 5 on E♭.
Left hand: 5 on F, 3 on A♭, 2 on C, 1 on E♭.

Press every key at exactly the same moment, with the same weight. If one note sounds louder or a fraction late, the chord sounds uneven: play it slowly and listen for one sound.

Inversions

An inversion is the same notes in a different order, with a different note at the bottom. Inversions let you move between chords without jumping around the keyboard.

Position	Notes, bottom to top
Root position	F – A♭ – C – E♭
1st inversion	A♭ – C – E♭ – F
2nd inversion	C – E♭ – F – A♭
3rd inversion	E♭ – F – A♭ – C

Where Fm7 belongs

Fm7 is the ii7 chord in E♭ major, the iii7 chord in D♭ major and the vi7 chord in A♭ major.

Fm7 is Fm with a minor seventh, E♭, added on top, which softens it from sad to smooth.

Hear it in a progression

Fm7 – B♭7 – E♭maj7: ii – V – I in E♭ major, the backbone of jazz.

Playing it, but it doesn't sound right? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a chord that's uneven. Then it shows you how it should go.

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Questions people ask

What notes are in the Fm7 chord?

Fm7 (F minor seventh) is made of F, A♭, C and E♭: the root, minor third, fifth and minor seventh.

How do you play Fm7 on piano?

With your right hand, use fingers 1 on F, 2 on A♭, 3 on C, 5 on E♭, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on F, 3 on A♭, 2 on C, 1 on E♭.

How is Fm7 different from the plain chord?