F minor 7th chord on piano
The F minor 7th chord is F–Ab–C–Eb. Tap the keys below to hear it.
Fm7F · Ab · C · Eb
Tap the keys to hear them
Fm7 adds an Eb to the F minor triad, and three of its four notes land on black keys. As the ii of Eb major it opens countless soul and R&B turnarounds.
How the F minor 7th chord is built
Fingerings & inversions
Standard fingerings use the thumb (1), the little finger (5), and either the index (2) or middle finger (3). Hand size and musical context change what feels natural. Switch Fingers on above to see 1-2-3-5 land for Fm7.
| Position | Notes (bottom → top) | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | F – Ab – C – Eb | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 1st inversion | Ab – C – Eb – F | 1-2-4-5 | 5-4-2-1 |
| 2nd inversion | C – Eb – F – Ab | 1-2-3-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
| 3rd inversion | Eb – F – Ab – C | 1-2-4-5 | 5-3-2-1 |
Inversion diagrams
The inversion buttons above play all 4 shapes of Fm7.
Where Fm7 shows up
Fm7 is built on F minor, the relative minor of Ab major. The key of F minor has four flats. Fm7 works as the ii7 in Eb and the iii7 in Db, the roles that put it at the front of jazz and soul progressions.
Jazz players know it as the start of Fm7–Bb7–Ebmaj7, the ii–V–I in Eb major.
Common questions
What notes are in the F minor 7th chord?
The F minor 7th chord is made up of F, Ab, C, Eb. Ab and Eb are black keys, which gives the shape its raised middle.
What fingers should I use to play Fm7 on piano?
In root position, the standard fingering is 1-2-3-5 in the right hand and 5-3-2-1 in the left hand (1 = thumb, 5 = little finger). Fm7 puts finger 2 on Ab, the first of its black keys.
What are the seventh chords in the key of F minor?
Building a seventh on each degree of the F natural minor scale gives Fm7, Gm7b5, Abmaj7, Bbm7, Cm7, Dbmaj7, Eb7. Fm7 is the home chord of the set.
When should I play Fm7 instead of F minor?
Fm7 is the F minor triad with Eb added on top, so the two swap freely. The seventh takes the edge off the minor sound; use the plain triad when you want the sadness undiluted.
More F chords
Reviewed by
Composer, arranger and music educator. BA Music (LIPA), MA Composition (University of Salford).
Last updated 2026-08-19