A Minor 7th
Open PositionThe classic open Am7 — middle on D fret 2, index on B fret 1. The A, G, and high e strings ring open. The low E is not strummed. Only two fingers, and it sounds beautifully open — one of the easiest 7th chords on guitar.
A Minor 7th
5th FretEm7-shape barre at the 5th fret. Barre fret 5 with the index across all six strings, then ring on A fret 7. A full, resonant Am7 voicing with the root on the low E string.
A Minor 7th
7th FretA compact 4-string D-shape voicing with the root on the D string at fret 7. Index on D fret 7 (root), pinky on G fret 9 (5th), ring on B fret 8 (minor 7th), middle on high e fret 8 (minor 3rd). Strum the top four strings only — no barre.
A Minor 7th
12th FretAm7-shape barre at the 12th fret — the open Am7 shape moved one octave up. Barre fret 12 with the index across the A, D, G, B, and high e strings; ring on D fret 14, middle on B fret 13. Bright and articulate for high-register chord work.
A Minor 7th
12th FretCompact three-note voicing on the top strings — minor 7th on G fret 12, minor 3rd on B fret 13, 5th on high e fret 12. Only three fingers, no barre. Great for fast comping and quiet rhythm work.
Tips for Playing the Am7 Chord
Start with the open shape
The open Am7 (x-0-2-0-1-0) is one of the easiest 7th chords on guitar. Two fingers, and it sounds beautifully open. Perfect for beginners and a staple in folk, jazz, and acoustic styles.
Am7 is the open Am with a lift
If you already know open Am, just lift your ring finger off the G string — that open G is the minor 7th that turns Am into Am7. Same shape, smoother sound.
Mute the low E
In the open Am7, the low E is not played. Let your thumb or the side of your index finger lightly touch it to mute it as you strum.
Am7 in the ii–V–I
Am7 → D7 → Gmaj7 is the classic ii–V–I in G major and one of the most-used progressions in jazz. Practise this cycle through every key.
Move the barre shapes
The Em7-shape at fret 5 and Am7-shape at fret 12 are fully moveable — slide them up or down to play any minor 7th chord on the low E or A string roots.
Sub for Am
Am7 sounds great as a substitute for Am in jazz, soul, R&B, neo-soul, and folk. The open G softens the chord without changing its overall feel — and it is easier to play.
About the Am7 Chord on Guitar
The Am7 chord is built from four notes: A (the root), C (the minor 3rd), E (the perfect 5th), and G (the minor 7th). It is the A minor triad with an added flat 7th, giving the chord a smooth, mellow, slightly melancholy character. Am7 is one of the friendliest 7th chords on guitar — three of its four chord tones (A, E, and G) are open strings in standard tuning, meaning the chord can be played with just two fingers. This makes it often the first 7th chord beginners learn after Em7. Am7 functions as the ii chord in G major (a guitar-friendly key), the vi chord in C major, the iii chord in F major, and the i chord in A minor, appearing constantly in jazz, blues, folk, soul, R&B, and pop. This page covers five voicings, from the easy two-finger open shape to advanced barre and high-register voicings. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Am7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Open position, Em7-shape barre, 4-string D-shape, octave-up Am7-shape, and compact top-string voicing
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the A Minor 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every minor 7th chord follows this same formula — root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.