Root position
F – Ab – C – EbThe root F is the lowest note. This is the shape most people learn first.
4 notes · 1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7
F Minor Seventh Piano Chord (Fm7)
Fm7 is built from F, Ab, C and Eb — the formula 1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7, or 3, 7 and 10 semitones above F. The shape uses 2 white and 2 black keys, and you can hear it, invert it and compare it below.
Chord
F Minor seventh
Notes
F · G# · C · D#Formula
1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7Right hand
1 · 2 · 3 · 5C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
C#
D#
F#
G#
A#
Choose a chord, then play it. Finger numbers run from thumb (1) to little finger (5).
The finder above already holds Fm7. Press P or the Play chord button to hear F, Ab, C, Eb sounded together, then change the root or the chord type to compare it with something else.
Chord tones
The notes in Fm7
A minor seventh chord adds a minor seventh above a minor triad. It keeps the darker colour of the minor third, but the extra note softens the edge, so the chord feels relaxed rather than sad. Minor sevenths are the natural seventh chords on the second, third and sixth degrees of a major scale.
| Note | Interval | Degree | Semitones | Right hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fwhite key | Root | 1 | 0 | 1 · thumb |
| Abblack key | Minor third | ♭3 | 3 | 2 · index finger |
| Cwhite key | Perfect fifth | 5 | 7 | 3 · middle finger |
| Ebblack key | Minor seventh | ♭7 | 10 | 5 · little finger |
Step by step
How to play Fm7 on piano
- Find F: it is the white key immediately left of every group of three black keys.
- Build upwards from F using 3, 7 and 10 semitones to reach Ab, C and Eb.
- With the right hand, place finger 1 on F, finger 2 on Ab, finger 3 on C and finger 5 on Eb. Keep the wrist level and the knuckles rounded.
- Move your hand a little further in towards the fallboard so the black keys sit comfortably under your fingers.
- Play the notes together, then one at a time from the bottom up, and listen to how Fm7 settles.
- Try first inversion as well: Ab – C – Eb – F. Inversions let you change chords without jumping around the keyboard.
Inversions
Fm7 in 4 positions
An inversion keeps the same 4 notes and simply moves the lowest one up an octave. Learning them means you can change chords with small hand movements instead of jumping to a new part of the keyboard.
First inversion
Ab – C – Eb – FAb is the lowest note, so the minor third sits in the bass and the notes below it move up an octave.
Second inversion
C – Eb – F – AbC is the lowest note, so the perfect fifth sits in the bass and the notes below it move up an octave.
Third inversion
Eb – F – Ab – CEb is the lowest note, so the minor seventh sits in the bass and the notes below it move up an octave.
In context
Which keys contain Fm7
In D♭ major the chord functions as iii7. Altogether it is produced by the scales of 6 keys, so learning it once pays off in several places.
- D♭ majoriii7
- E♭ majorii7
- A♭ majorvi7
- C minoriv7
- F minori7
- B♭ minorv7
Chord tones are spelled by the degree they occupy, so the third of a minor chord is written as a flat rather than a sharp even though it is the same key on the piano. A double sharp such as F## means the key one whole tone above F.
Compare
Fm7 against F7
Fm7 and F7 share F, C and Eb. Moving the major third A down 1 semitone to the minor third Ab turns F7 into Fm7.
Practise the pair together: hold the shared notes F, C, Eb still and move only the one finger. Hearing that single change is the quickest way to recognise the two chords by ear.
Open F7 →Good questions
Fm7 questions
What notes are in the Fm7 chord?
Fm7 contains F, Ab, C and Eb. Counted from the root, that is the formula 1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7, or 3, 7 and 10 semitones above F.
What is the right-hand fingering for Fm7?
A comfortable beginner fingering is 1 (thumb) on F, 2 (index finger) on Ab, 3 (middle finger) on C and 5 (little finger) on Eb. Finger numbers run from the thumb (1) to the little finger (5), and they change once you start using inversions.
How is Fm7 different from F7?
Fm7 and F7 share F, C and Eb. Moving the major third A down 1 semitone to the minor third Ab turns F7 into Fm7.
Which keys use the Fm7 chord?
It occurs naturally in D♭ major (iii7), E♭ major (ii7), A♭ major (vi7), C minor (iv7), F minor (i7) and B♭ minor (v7). The roman numeral shows which degree of the key the chord is built on.
What are the inversions of Fm7?
root position is F – Ab – C – Eb, first inversion is Ab – C – Eb – F, second inversion is C – Eb – F – Ab and third inversion is Eb – F – Ab – C. Every inversion holds the same notes; only the lowest one changes.