A♭ minor 7 chordA♭m7

Built from

• A♭root
• C♭minor 3rd
• E♭5th
• G♭flat 7th

The flat 7th softens the minor 3rd, so the sadness turns into something relaxed.

Hear it in a progression

• Epic minor

  Film scores and stadium anthems. In G♯ minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. G♯m7i
  2. EVI
  3. BIII
  4. F♯VII

• Minor cadence

  Dark, then a strong pull home. In G♯ minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. G♯m7i
  2. C♯miv
  3. D♯7V7
  4. G♯m7i

• Andalusian cadence

  Flamenco and surf rock, stepping down. In G♯ minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. G♯m7i
  2. F♯VII
  3. EVI
  4. D♯V

Where it goes next

Thinking in G♯ minor, where it is the i7 chord.

• Emaj7

  VImaj7. Opens up into something bittersweet.

• C♯m7

  iv7. Goes darker still.

• F♯7

  VII7. Steps down: a rock and folk staple.

• Bmaj7

  IIImaj7. Brightens into the relative major.

Sounds close

• Bmaj7

  Relative major 7: same notes but one. Both have C♭, E♭ and G♭.

• B

  Contains its relative major whole. Both have C♭, E♭ and G♭.

• Emaj7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have A♭, C♭ and E♭.

• B7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have C♭, E♭ and G♭.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• G♯ minor
• G♯ minor pentatonic
• G♯ blues
• G♯ dorian

Keys it lives in

• G♯ minoras i7
• C♯ minoras v7
• E♭ minoras iv7
• B majoras vi7
• F♯ majoras ii7
• E majoras iii7