Am7 Piano Chord

Am7 is the A minor seventh chord. It has four notes: A, C, E and G. All four are white keys, which makes it one of the easiest four note chords on the piano.

1A2C3E5GC3C4

A at the bottom, then C and E and G. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. Every key here is white.

How to play Am7 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the A below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): A
  3. Index finger (2): C
  4. Middle finger (3): E
  5. Little finger (5): G
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just A on its own as a bass note.

Am7, Dm7 and Em7 are the three minor sevenths that use no black keys at all. Learning them together gives you most of the minor colour in the key of C.

Inversions of Am7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Am7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionC E G A
Am7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, C E G A
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionE G A C
Am7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, E G A C
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.
Third inversionG A C E
Am7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, G A C E
The most restless of the four. The seventh is the note that wants to move, and putting it underneath the whole chord makes that pull impossible to miss.

If it sounds wrong

The top note is G sharp
It has to be G natural. A minor seventh takes the flat seventh, and G sharp would give a chord that belongs somewhere else entirely.
The chord sounds muddy
Four notes low on the keyboard blur. Play it above middle C, or use the first inversion to spread the same notes higher.
The middle fingers are uneven
Fingers 2 and 3 are different lengths and both are working here. Keep the knuckles level and drop the hand as one shape.

What makes it an Am7

A · C · E · G 1 ♭3 5 ♭7

Am7 is an A minor triad, A C E, with a G added on top: the flat seventh. The seventh softens the chord rather than sharpening it, which is why minor sevenths sound relaxed where dominant sevenths sound restless.

It is the ii chord of G and the vi of C. In the key of C it is the everyday substitute for A minor, and in jazz it is the first chord of the ii V I that runs Am7, D7, G.

Am7 vs Am

Am7 is A minor with a G on top. A minor sounds plain and a little bare; Am7 sounds fuller and more modern, which is why pop and soul use it almost by default.

Anywhere a chart says A minor you can usually play Am7 instead. The reverse is not always true: the seventh is a colour, and some music wants the plainer chord.

Questions about Am7

Which notes are in an Am7 chord on piano?

A, C, E and G. All four are white keys.

What fingers do you use for Am7?

Right hand: thumb on A, index on C, middle on E, little finger on G. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1 on the same notes.

What is the difference between Am7 and Am?

One note. Am7 adds G on top of A minor. It is the same chord with more colour, and the two are usually interchangeable.

Is Am7 easy to play?

Yes. Four white keys, an even shape and nothing wider than a seventh. It is often the first four note chord people learn.

Where is the Am7 chord used?

As the ii chord in G and the vi in C. It is one of the most common chords in pop, soul and jazz.

Chords to learn next

Other A chords