Learn to play the Am7 guitar chord

Expanding your arsenal of guitar chords is sure to pay off. The A minor seventh chord (Am7) is an essential addition to your guitar playing. It’s very common in folk, jazz, blues, and pop. Don’t let the name fool you—the Am7 guitar chord is surprisingly easy to learn!

In this article, we’ll break down the Am7 chord, show you how to play it, and provide useful tips to help you master this versatile minor seventh chord.

Basics of the A minor 7th chord

When learning a new chord, it’s useful to know the notes that make it up. If you’re comfortable with open chords like A, A minor (Am), C, G, and D, you’ll find Am7 easy to pick up.

The Am7 chord is a minor seventh chord, meaning it consists of four notes: the root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. The chord is named after the root note (A in this case). Compared to a standard A minor chord, Am7 adds an extra note (G). Play Am and Am7 one after the other, and you’ll hear the difference.

Here are the notes in the A minor seventh chord:

• A: Root note
• C: Minor third
• E: Perfect fifth
• G: Minor seventh

How to play the A minor seventh chord on the guitar

One of the easiest ways to play Am7 is to start with the standard A minor chord shape. The Am7 and Am chord shapes are almost identical; the only difference is that you do not fret the G string when playing Am7.

Here’s how to play this simple seventh chord:

• B string: Place your index finger on the 1st fret.
• D string: Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret.
• A, G, and high E strings: Play these open.
• Low E string: Do not play this string.

The trick to mastering the Am7 guitar chord is playing only the correct strings. In this case, this means playing an open A string for your bass note instead of the low E string. Starting from low E would add unwanted sounds to the Am7 guitar chord.

Am7 barre chord

If you’re looking for a more advanced option, you can play Am7 as a barre chord. Playing barre chords can be tricky since you have to lay your finger across several strings, sometimes all six.

Here’s a common barre chord shape for Am7 with a barre on the 5th fret:

• Index finger (barre): Place your index finger across all six strings on the 5th fret.
• Ring finger: Place your ring finger on the 7th fret of the D string.

Strum all the strings and ensure each note rings clearly. This barre chord version of Am7 is handy. You can move the same chord shape up and down the fretboard to transition smoothly to a different chord, with little or no changes to the chord shape itself.

Tips for mastering the Am7 chord

Mastering any chord can be easier with the right approach. The more advanced variations of Am7, in particular, may require a different approach to learning and practicing. Here are some practical tips to help you play Am7 and other guitar chords:

• Know your strumming range: Start playing the open Am7 chord from the A string. Do not play the low E string, as this since this is not part of the chord. Make sure your strumming hand doesn’t hit the low E string by accident. Using a guitar pick can help if you want more accuracy in your strumming and picking.
• Use your thumb to mute the low E string: If you accidentally hit the low E string when it shouldn’t be played, you can try muting it. Lightly rest your thumb against the low E string to stop it from playing. The muted E string will produce a low, almost inaudible, thumping sound.
• Practice smooth transitions with common progressions: Many songs use Am7 in progressions like C-G-Am7-F or D-G-Am7-C. Practicing these transitions slowly with a metronome will improve your timing and muscle memory. Check out some popular songs to hear Am7 in action.
• Test different finger positions for comfort: However, if the open Am7 shape feels awkward, try changing your fingering to see if that helps. For instance, use your ring finger instead of your middle finger on the D string. Small adjustments can make a big difference.
• Adjust your barre finger: For the barre chord version of Am7, don’t squeeze too hard. Instead, use the edge of your index finger to distribute pressure evenly across the fret.

Popular songs to practice the open Am7 chord

Practicing Am7 in some of your favorite songs is a great way to incorporate it into your playing. Here are some popular songs featuring the Am7 chord:

• “American Pie”, made famous by Don McLean
• “Killing Me Softly”, made famous by Fugees
• “Sparks”, made famous by Coldplay
• “Stuck In The Middle With You”, made famous by Stealers Wheel
• “Redemption Song”, made famous by Bob Marley & The Wailers
• “Landslide”, made famous by Fleetwood Mac

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