Minor 7 chords
A minor seventh chord has four notes: the root, minor third, perfect fifth and minor seventh. Its formula is 1 b3 5 b7. A minor chord with a flat 7th added. It is the ii, iii and vi chord of a major key when sevenths are added, and the ii in a ii V I.
On C it is written Cm7, and also Cmin7 and C-7.
Minor 7 chords in every key
| Chord | Notes | Shapes |
|---|---|---|
| Cm7 | C Eb G Bb | guitar · piano · bass |
| C#m7 | C# E G# B | guitar · piano · bass |
| Dm7 | D F A C | guitar · piano · bass |
| Ebm7 | Eb Gb Bb Db | guitar · piano · bass |
| Em7 | E G B D | guitar · piano · bass |
| Fm7 | F Ab C Eb | guitar · piano · bass |
| F#m7 | F# A C# E | guitar · piano · bass |
| Gm7 | G Bb D F | guitar · piano · bass |
| G#m7 | G# B D# F# | guitar · piano · bass |
| Am7 | A C E G | guitar · piano · bass |
| Bbm7 | Bb Db F Ab | guitar · piano · bass |
| Bm7 | B D F# A | guitar · piano · bass |
Minor 7 compared
| Chord | Symbol | Formula | Notes | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor 7 | Cm7 | 1 b3 5 b7 | C Eb G Bb | |
| Dominant 7 | C7 | 1 3 5 b7 | C E G Bb | C7 and Cm7 share C, G and Bb. C7 has E, the 3rd, where Cm7 has Eb, the flat 3rd. |
| Half Diminished | Cm7b5 | 1 b3 b5 b7 | C Eb Gb Bb | Cm7b5 and Cm7 share C, Eb and Bb. Cm7b5 has Gb, the flat 5th, where Cm7 has G, the 5th. |
| Minor 6 | Cm6 | 1 b3 5 6 | C Eb G A | Cm6 and Cm7 share C, Eb and G. Cm6 has A, the 6th, where Cm7 has Bb, the flat 7th. |
Questions
What is a minor seventh chord?
A minor seventh chord has four notes: the root, minor third, perfect fifth and minor seventh. Its formula is 1 b3 5 b7. A minor chord with a flat 7th added. It is the ii, iii and vi chord of a major key when sevenths are added, and the ii in a ii V I.
How do you write a minor seventh chord?
On C it is written Cm7, and also Cmin7 and C-7.
What is the difference between Cm7 and C7?
Cm7 and C7 share C, G and Bb. Cm7 has Eb, the flat 3rd, where C7 has E, the 3rd.