A minor seventh

Am7

Also written Amin7 · A−7 · Ami7

NotesA · C · E · G
Formula1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7
A1C♭3E5G♭7
Root position

The minor 7th: ii of G major, where it opens the ii–V–I Am7 → D7Gmaj7. It also plays iii of F major and vi of C major.

How pianists voice Am7

Nobody plays a jazz chord in root position. These are the shapes that actually get played — the same ones Cadenza shows when you play the chord.

Shell Left hand

A1C♭3G♭7

1 · ♭3 · ♭7 — root, 3rd and 7th: the three notes that say what the chord is. Left hand, low; everything else is colour.

Rootless A From the 3rd

C♭3E5G♭7B9

♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 — no root: the bass player has it. The left-hand voicing of modern jazz piano. Without A underneath, the same keys read as Cmaj7 — the bass turns them into Am7.

Rootless B From the 7th

G♭7B9C♭3E5

♭7 · 9 · ♭3 · 5 — the other half of the pair. A and B alternate through a ii–V–I so the hand barely moves.

Drop 2 Two hands

E5A1C♭3G♭7

5 · 1 · ♭3 · ♭7 — close position with the second voice from the top dropped an octave: wider, warmer, the standard for chord melody.

Am7 inversions

The same 4 notes with a different one in the bass. Each inversion is written as a slash chord.

Root position Am7

A1C♭3E5G♭7

Root at the bottom, stacked in 3rds: 1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7.

1st inversion Am7/C

C♭3E5G♭7A1

C (the ♭3) in the bass: ♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 1.

2nd inversion Am7/E

E5G♭7A1C♭3

E (the 5) in the bass: 5 · ♭7 · 1 · ♭3.

3rd inversion Am7/G

G♭7A1C♭3E5

G (the ♭7) in the bass: ♭7 · 1 · ♭3 · 5.

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