Fm7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - m - i - m · Alternating Folk (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The 1st string repeats the F of the 6th. This pattern leaves it out. All 6 arpeggios
Alternating picking with steady pulse.
Play Fm7 one string at a time and you hear F, G#, C and D#. F is the root, G# the minor third, C the fifth and D# the minor seventh. Said aloud, its notes are F, G sharp, C and D sharp.
String by string, low to high, it plays F, C, D#, G#, C and F. Of the six strings you play, two give F, the note that names the chord. The lowest and highest notes are both F, two octaves apart, on strings 6 and 1.
The main Fm7 shape needs a barre at fret 1 across six strings. Your hand covers three frets, from 1 to 3. There is one more position, starting at fret 8.
Change only string 4 in Fm7 and you have Fm. Fm7 and G# have G# and D# in common. C shares two positions with this shape.
You will find Fm7 in five different keys. In Ab major it is the vi, in Eb major the ii and in Db major the iii. The rest appear in the key list.
F 1G# ♭3C 5D# ♭7
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 1 (F)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 1. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 3.
Placement tip: Barre fret 8. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 10, 2nd String (B) at fret 9. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 1 to 3 |
| Barre | fret 1, from the 6th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 2 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | none |
At fret 1, only the barre sounds the 6th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings.
Listen: Fm7 → Fm · C · C7
Fm7 sits in the scale of 5 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Fm7 chord on guitar, all 6 strings are played from the 6th string (Low E) to the 1st string (High E). Arch your finger joints perpendicular to the fretboard so adjacent strings ring clearly.
The primary bass note of the Fm7 chord is its root note: F. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 1.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Fm7 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Minor Seventh). Its constituent pitches are F, G#, C, D#.
To prevent fret buzz on the Fm7 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
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