How To Play The Gm7 Guitar Chord
The Gm7 guitar chord is also called the G minor seventh. It is derived from the G major root note, B minor third note, and D and F notes. The Gm7 chord is derived from the G minor scale. It has a melancholic and mellow sound commonly used in various genres such as jazz, blues, funk, and pop.
When strumming the Gm7 chord, you can either strum all the strings or focus on strumming from the A string (5th string) downward, avoiding the low E string (6th string) and the high E string (1st string). This helps create a cleaner sound without playing the unused strings.
What Notes Make Up the Gm7 Chord?
The Gm7 (G minor seventh) chord is composed of the following notes:
G Note:
This is the root note of the chord.
Bb Note:
This note is the minor third interval above the root of major scale.
D Note:
This note is the perfect fifth interval above the root.
F Note:
This note is the minor seventh interval above the root.
So, the notes G, B♭, D, and F combine to form the Gm7 chord. These notes come from the G natural minor scale, which consists of the following pitches: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, and F.
How To Play The Gm7 Chord?
To play the Gm7 chord on the guitar, place your index finger on the 1st fret of the B string and position your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string. Now, put your ring finger on the third fret of the low E string, leave the A, D, and G strings open, and let them ring out.
You can strum all the strings starting from the low E string and focus on the strumming from the A string down to avoid the high E string. Press down the strings with enough pressure to produce a clear note, and avoid touching the string you’re not using.
Practice placing your finger accurately and strumming all six required strings to play the G minor seven chords cleanly.
What Are Seventh Chords?
When a chord’s triad (composed of the root, third, and fifth notes) is extended by adding a seventh note, the resulting chord is called a seventh chord. After adding the seventh note, the chord takes on a new tone, giving it depth and dimension.
Different seventh chords are identified by the specific seventh interval that they use. The four most common seventh chords are as follows:
Major Seventh (Maj7):
Root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh are the notes that make up a major seventh chord. A Cmaj7 chord, for instance, the G major scale, comprises the notes C, E, G, and B.
Dominant Seventh (7):
The dominant seventh chord consists of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. For example, the notes of a G7 chord are G, B, D, and F.
Minor Seventh (m7):
Four notes—a minor third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh—make up the minor seventh chord. A Dm7 chord, for instance, is made up of the notes D, F#, A#, and C.
Half-Diminished Seventh (m7♭5 or ø):
Root, minor third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh make up the half-diminished seventh chord. For instance, the notes of an Em75 chord are E, G, B, and D.
Jazz, blues, pop, and funk are just a few musical styles that frequently employ seventh chords. Chord progressions can be made more expressive and harmonically complex by incorporating these minor chords, which provide tension and complexity.
A Couple of Gm7 Chord Progression Variations
Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7 – B♭maj7:
This progression is in the key of F major and follows the ii – V – I – IV pattern. It is a popular progression in jazz and has a smooth and mellow sound.
Gm7 – Cm7 – D7 – Gm7:
This progression is in the key of G minor and features an ii – v – I – iv pattern. It has a melancholic and soulful quality and is commonly used in blues and funk music.
Gm7 – Am7 – D7 – Gm7:
This progression is in the key of G minor and follows an ii – iii – VI – I pattern. It has a slightly brighter and uplifting sound compared to the previous progression.
Gm7 – C9 – Fmaj7 – Em7 – Am7 – D7 – Gm7:
This progression adds more chords and creates a more extended sequence in the key of G minor. It is commonly found in jazz and provides a rich harmonic foundation for improvisation.
Gm7 – B♭maj7 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Gm7:
This progression is a classic ii – IV – V – vi – ii progression in the G minor key. It is commonly used in pop, rock, and folk music and has a catchy and memorable sound.
Easiest Ways To Play the GM7 Guitar Chord
Third Fret Barre Chord Shape
Barre your index finger across the guitar strings at the third fret and place your middle finger on the fourth fret of the G string while placing your ring finger on the fifth fret of the A string. Then strum from the string downwards.
Tenth Fret Shape
To play the tenth fret shape, place your index finger on the 10th fret of the A string and your ring finger on the 12th fret of the D, G, and B strings. Mute the low E string by slightly touching it and strum from the A string down.
Gm7 Open Position Shape
Place your index finger on the first fret of the B string and your middle finger on the second fret of the high E string. Now place your ring finger on the third fret of the low e string and leave the A, D, and G strings open while you strum down the low E string.
These are some of the most typical applications of the Gm7 chord in guitar music. Discover which of these forms best suits your needs. Additionally, you can play around with different voicings and fretboard positions to create variations and adapt your playing to the musical setting.
What Is The Difference Between Gm7 and Gm?
The seventh note of the Gm7 chord sets it apart from the Gm chord. The G (root), B (minor third), and D (perfect fifth) make up the Gm (G minor) chord. It’s a trio, so there’s no seventh note there.
However, the Gm7 (G minor seventh) chord has an extra note—the seventh note of the G minor scale—compared to the other minor seventh chords. G (root), B (minor third), D (perfect fifth), and F (minor seventh) make up the notes of Gm7. The Gm7 chord is more complex and full-sounding than the Gm chord due to the addition of the seventh note.
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FAQs
What Are Alternative Chords For Gm7?
Gm5 / A is the theoretical equivalent to Gm9 /A. Gm7C is identical to Gm11C. Gm7/E has similar characteristics to Gm13/E.
What Is the Difference Between GM And Gm7?
The Gm7 also features Fnotes.
What Is a Gmaj7 Chord On Guitar?
This quartet of notes can produce a warm and soft sound.
