Piano chord
Am7A minor seventh
- A1
- C♭3
- E5
- G♭7
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 10semitones
- Fingers
- 1-2-4-5
How to play Am7 on piano
- Find A: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Right hand: 1 on A, 2 on C, 4 on E, 5 on G.
- Or with the left hand: 5 on A, 4 on C, 2 on E, 1 on G.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · A – C – E – G
1st inversion · C – E – G – A
2nd inversion · E – G – A – C
3rd inversion · G – A – C – E
Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.
Am7 inversions
Here are all 4 positions of Am7. The notes stay the same, only their order changes: root position has A at the bottom, and every inversion starts on the next chord tone.
- Root positionbass: ARight hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
- 1st inversionbass: CRight hand 1-3-4-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
- 2nd inversionbass: ERight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
- 3rd inversionbass: GRight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
Chords that go with Am7
The other chords of A minor, the key where Am7 is home (i7). Songs in this key move between them.
Am7 with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays A an octave lower, the right hand plays A–C–E–G.
Am7 on other instruments
About the Am7 chord
The 4 notes of A minor seventh are A (1), C (♭3), E (5), G (♭7). A minor seventh: a minor triad with the flat seventh. Softer than a plain minor chord, it is the ii chord of jazz and a favourite in R&B.
Put your thumb on A and count up: A – C – E – G. The whole chord spans 10 semitones from bottom to top. That fits inside an octave, so one hand covers Am7 without stretching.
The inversions of Am7 keep the same notes in a new order. In the 1st inversion the bass is C (C–E–G–A). In the 2nd inversion the bass is E (E–G–A–C). In the 3rd inversion the bass is G (G–A–C–E).
Add G to Am and you have Am7.
Am7 belongs to C major (vi7), F major (iii7), G major (ii7), A minor (i7), D minor (v7).
Questions
What notes are in the Am7 chord?
Am7 (A minor seventh) has 4 notes: A (1), C (♭3), E (5), G (♭7).
How many inversions does Am7 have?
Am7 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (A–C–E–G); 1st inversion (C–E–G–A); 2nd inversion (E–G–A–C); 3rd inversion (G–A–C–E).
What is the difference between Am7 and Am?
Add G to Am and you have Am7.
Can I play Am7 with one hand?
Yes. In root position Am7 spans 10 semitones, less than an octave, so one hand holds it easily.