Fm7 Piano Chord

Fm7 is the F minor seventh chord. It has four notes: F, A flat, C and E flat. Two of them are black keys, alternating with white ones.

1F2A♭3C5E♭C4C5

F at the bottom, then A♭ and C and E♭. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. The black keys are A♭ and E♭.

How to play Fm7 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the F above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): F
  3. Index finger (2): A♭
  4. Middle finger (3): C
  5. Little finger (5): E♭
  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 F on its own as a bass note.

The black keys fall under fingers 2 and 5 here. That alternating pattern is the same one Cm7 uses, so the two chords feel alike under the hand.

Inversions of Fm7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Fm7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionA♭ C E♭ F
Fm7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, A♭ C E♭ F
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 inversionC E♭ F A♭
Fm7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, C E♭ F A♭
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 inversionE♭ F A♭ C
Fm7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, E♭ F A♭ C
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 chord sounds bright
The second note is A flat, the black key to the left of A. A natural would give F7.
The little finger cannot reach
E flat is a black key at the top of the chord. Let the hand open from the knuckles and lean slightly outward rather than stretching.
The chord blurs
Four notes with two black keys need space. Play above middle C or use the second inversion.

What makes it an Fm7

F · A♭ · C · E♭ 1 ♭3 5 ♭7

Fm7 is an F minor triad, F A flat C, with an E flat added: the flat seventh.

It is the ii chord of E flat and the vi of A flat. It also turns up in the key of C as a borrowed chord, where it darkens the harmony before the music returns home.

Fm7 vs Fm

Fm7 is F minor with an E flat on top. F minor is stark and a little heavy; Fm7 is smoother.

In soul and gospel the seventh is nearly always the version played, because a plain minor triad sounds thin next to the sevenths around it.

Questions about Fm7

Which notes are in an Fm7 chord on piano?

F, A flat, C and E flat. A flat and E flat are black keys; F and C are white.

What fingers do you use for Fm7?

Right hand: thumb on F, index on A flat, middle on C, little finger on E flat. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

What is the difference between Fm7 and F7?

The second note. Fm7 has A flat and sounds minor; F7 has A natural and pulls toward B flat.

Where is the Fm7 chord used?

As the ii chord in E flat, the vi in A flat, and as a borrowed chord in the key of C.

Is Fm7 hard on piano?

No. The alternating black and white pattern takes a moment to settle, but nothing stretches.

Chords to learn next

Other F chords