G#m7 Piano Chord

G sharp minor seventh is the G#m7 piano chord. It has four notes: G sharp, B, D sharp and F sharp. Three are black keys and only the B is white.

1G♯2B3D♯5F♯C3C4

G♯ at the bottom, then B and D♯ and F♯. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. The black keys are G♯ and D♯ and F♯.

How to play G#m7 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the G♯ below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): G♯
  3. Index finger (2): B
  4. Middle finger (3): D♯
  5. Little finger (5): F♯
  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 G♯ on its own as a bass note.

Only the second finger comes forward onto a white key here. The rest of the hand stays deep, which makes this a steadier shape than the alternating ones.

Inversions of G#m7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are G#m7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionB D♯ F♯ G♯
G#m7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, B D♯ F♯ G♯
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 inversionD♯ F♯ G♯ B
G#m7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, D♯ F♯ G♯ B
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 inversionF♯ G♯ B D♯
G#m7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, F♯ G♯ B D♯
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 white note is wrong
B is the only white key in the chord. Check that finger first if something sounds off.
The thumb is on the wrong black key
G sharp is the last black key in the group of three. Finding the group is faster than counting from a white key.
The chord is uneven
Black keys need a central strike. Aim the fingertips at the middle of each key rather than the front edge.

What makes it a G#m7

G♯ · B · D♯ · F♯ 1 ♭3 5 ♭7

G sharp minor seventh is a G sharp minor triad, G sharp B D sharp, with an F sharp added: the flat seventh.

It is the ii chord of F sharp and the vi of B. Guitar based music in B uses it, which is where most pianists meet it.

G#m7 vs G#m

G sharp minor seventh is G sharp minor with an F sharp on top. The triad is black, white, black; the seventh adds a fourth black key above it.

That makes the seventh the deeper hand position of the two, and for most players the more comfortable one.

Questions about G#m7

Which notes are in a G#m7 chord on piano?

G sharp, B, D sharp and F sharp. Only B is a white key.

What fingers do you use for G#m7?

Right hand: thumb on G sharp, index on B, middle on D sharp, little finger on F sharp. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

Is G#m7 the same as Abm7?

The same keys and sound. G sharp minor seventh is the usual spelling, since the chord belongs to the sharp keys B and F sharp.

Where is the G#m7 chord used?

As the ii chord in F sharp and the vi in B.

Is G#m7 hard on piano?

No. Three black keys give the hand a deep, stable position with only one finger reaching forward.

Chords to learn next

Other G# chords