F minor 7 chordFm7

Built from

• Froot
• A♭minor 3rd
• C5th
• E♭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 F minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Fm7i
  2. D♭VI
  3. A♭III
  4. E♭VII

• Minor cadence

  Dark, then a strong pull home. In F minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Fm7i
  2. B♭miv
  3. C7V7
  4. Fm7i

• Andalusian cadence

  Flamenco and surf rock, stepping down. In F minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Fm7i
  2. E♭VII
  3. D♭VI
  4. CV

Where it goes next

Thinking in F minor, where it is the i7 chord.

• D♭maj7

  VImaj7. Opens up into something bittersweet.

• B♭m7

  iv7. Goes darker still.

• E♭7

  VII7. Steps down: a rock and folk staple.

• A♭maj7

  IIImaj7. Brightens into the relative major.

Sounds close

• A♭maj7

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

• A♭

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

• C♯maj7

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

• A♭7

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

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• F minor
• F minor pentatonic
• F blues
• F dorian

Keys it lives in

• F minoras i7
• B♭ minoras v7
• C minoras iv7
• A♭ majoras vi7
• E♭ majoras ii7
• D♭ majoras iii7