Fm7 chord (F minor seventh) on bass
Fm7 (F minor seventh) has four notes: F, A flat, C and E flat. Its formula is 1, b3, 5, b7. In major keys, Fm7 is the ii7 chord in Eb major, the iii7 in Db major and the vi7 in Ab major.
How to play Fm7 on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on D, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 3 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | Fm7 |
|---|---|
| Also written | Fmin7, F-7 |
| Notes | F Ab C Eb |
| Formula | 1 b3 5 b7 |
| Intervals | root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh |
| Type | Minor seventh chord |
Fm7 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 1 F (1), fret 4 Ab (flat 3), fret 8 C (5), fret 11 Eb (flat 7), fret 13 F (1), fret 16 Ab (flat 3), fret 20 C (5), fret 23 Eb (flat 7).
- A string: fret 3 C (5), fret 6 Eb (flat 7), fret 8 F (1), fret 11 Ab (flat 3), fret 15 C (5), fret 18 Eb (flat 7), fret 20 F (1), fret 23 Ab (flat 3).
- D string: fret 1 Eb (flat 7), fret 3 F (1), fret 6 Ab (flat 3), fret 10 C (5), fret 13 Eb (flat 7), fret 15 F (1), fret 18 Ab (flat 3), fret 22 C (5).
- G string: fret 1 Ab (flat 3), fret 5 C (5), fret 8 Eb (flat 7), fret 10 F (1), fret 13 Ab (flat 3), fret 17 C (5), fret 20 Eb (flat 7), fret 22 F (1).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Questions
What notes are in the Fm7 chord?
Fm7 (F minor seventh) has four notes: F, A flat, C and E flat. Its formula is 1, b3, 5, b7. F is the root, Ab is the minor third, C is the perfect fifth and Eb is the minor seventh.
How do you play Fm7 on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 10th: 1 b10, root on the E string, fret 13. Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on G.
What key is Fm7 in?
In major keys, Fm7 is the ii7 chord in Eb major, the iii7 in Db major and the vi7 in Ab major. It is diatonic to those keys, so it fits songs in any of them.
What is the difference between Fm7 and Fm?
Fm7 is Fm (F, Ab and C) with a flat 7th added: Eb.