Which strings do I strum for A minor seven?

5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.

What notes are in an A minor seven chord?

A, C, E, G. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. The C makes it minor.

What chords go with Am7?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Dm and Em, and its relative major, C. Songs move between these because they share notes.

minor seventh chord

How to play A minor seven chord on guitar

A minor with one finger lifted. Two fingers, five strings, and a softer sound than A minor.

Loading the guitar…

Where the fingers go

1
middle finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
2
index finger, B string, fret 1
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
3
Leave the A, G, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
4
Strum 5 strings, from the A string down
Skip the thick E. It would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in Am7

A chord is three or four notes played together. A minor seven is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
A	root	A string, open
C	minor third	B string, fret 1
E	fifth	D string, fret 2; thin e string, open
G	flat seventh	G string, open

The root, A, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds soft and mellow.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

Dm and Em are Am7’s neighbours. Most songs in Am7 use one or both.
C is its relative major: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Muting the open G

The G string rings open; it is the seventh. Stand the middle finger on its tip.

Tip

Am to Am7 is one finger

Lift the ring finger from the G string. Put it back and you have A minor again.

Songs that use it

Folk and pop in C or A minor. It slides into D7 or G.

None of the songs on the site use Am7 yet. It is coming with the next batch.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for A minor seven?: 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
What notes are in an A minor seven chord?: A, C, E, G. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. The C makes it minor.
What chords go with Am7?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Dm and Em, and its relative major, C. Songs move between these because they share notes.