Am7 Guitar Chord

Am7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

Standard

Arpeggio for this shape

P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)

From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios

Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.

Speed:

What sets Am7 apart

The notes of Am7 are A, C, E and G. A is the root, C the minor third, E the fifth and G the minor seventh.

From the low string to the high one you hear A, E, G, C and E. The note heard most is E, twice. It is not the root but the fifth. The lowest note is A on string 5 and the highest is E on string 1.

Am7 lets three strings ring open. String 5 gives A, string 3 gives G and string 1 gives E. Avoid string 6. Everything fits between frets 1 and 2. The second shape on this page starts at fret 5.

Am is one change away. String 3 is pressed at fret 2, bringing in A, the root of Am. Am7 holds the whole C chord inside it, C, E and G. The change that keeps the most fingers still is to C. Two stay in place.

Am7 shows up in five keys. In C major it is the vi, in G major the ii and in F major the iii. The rest appear in the key list. Further down there is a song that uses it.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01Am Am - F - Dm - E7 02C C - Am - Dm - G7 03G G - Em - Am - D7 04Em Em - C - Am - B7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Am7)

Formula: Minor Seventh (1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7)

Constituent chord intervals:

A 1C ♭3E 5G ♭7

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 0 (A)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Am7:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

Standard

Standard Position

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

○Open

ADegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 2Finger 2

EDegree 5

3rd String (G)

○Open

GDegree ♭7

2nd String (B)

Fret 1Finger 1

CDegree ♭3

1st String (High E)

○Open

EDegree 5

Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 1 with your Index finger. Play open: 5th String (A), 3rd String (G), 1st String (High E). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Barre 5

Barre fret 5

6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

5th String (A)

Fret 7

EDegree 5

4th String (D)

Fret 5Barre

GDegree ♭7

3rd String (G)

Fret 5Barre

CDegree ♭3

2nd String (B)

Fret 5Barre

EDegree 5

1st String (High E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Am7)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	1 to 2
Fretting fingers	2
Open	5th, 3rd, and 1st
Muted	6th

What to check

The open 5th, 3rd, and 1st strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Am7

Listen: Am7 → C · Am · Em

Am7 → C01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay

Stay in place

finger 2: string 4, fret 2
finger 1: string 2, fret 1

Move

finger 3: string 5, fret 3

Am7 → Am02

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay

Stay in place

finger 2: string 4, fret 2
finger 1: string 2, fret 1

Move

finger 3: string 3, fret 2

Am7 → Em03

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 2: string 4, fret 2

Move

finger 1: string 5, fret 2

Am7 in every key

Am7 sits in the scale of 5 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty: 1/5
Highest fret: 2
Frets the hand covers: 2
Barre: No
Strings that ring: 5/6
Fretting fingers: 2

Major keys

Minor keys

Am7 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.UkuleleAm7 on four strings, with sound.BassAm7 as a low-register arpeggio.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.

Songs with this chord

Famous songs featuring this chord (Am7)

Well-known songs where this chord plays a clear role

01"Moondance"Van Morrison • 1970Heard in the verse (Am7 - Bm7).

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (Am7)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Am7 chord?

To play the Am7 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the Am7 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Am7 chord is its root note: A. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Am7 chord and what is its formula?

The Am7 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Minor Seventh). Its constituent pitches are A, C, E, G.

How do you prevent the Am7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Am7 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

What famous songs use the Am7 chord?

"Moondance" (Van Morrison, 1970). Heard in the verse (Am7 - Bm7).

Study sheet · High resolution

Official Am7 chord diagram

Am7 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the A family:

Chord A Chord Ab Chord Am Chord A7 Chord Ab7 Chord Amaj7 Chord Abmaj7 Chord Abm7