G minor 7th chord on bass (Gm7)

Also called or written Gm7 or Gmin7

G minor 7th contains G, B♭, D, and F. The 3rd-fret shape demands a pinky stretch to the 5th fret, making it a challenging bass chord.

Positions on the neck1 of 4

Practice G minor 7th chord

How it is built

GRootB♭Minor thirdDPerfect fifthFMinor seventh

Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7

Inversions

Root positionG–B♭–D–FGm73-5-3-3
First inversionB♭–D–F–GGm7/B♭no shape on this instrument
Second inversionD–F–G–B♭Gm7/D10-10-8-10
Third inversionF–G–B♭–DGm7/F1-1-0-0

How do you play a G minor 7th chord on bass?

G minor 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 3 3: index finger on the E string at fret 3, pinky finger on the A string at fret 5, middle finger on the D string at fret 3 and ring finger on the G string at fret 3.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	3	1	G (1)
3 (A)	5	4	D (5)
2 (D)	3	2	F (♭7)
1 (G)	3	3	B♭ (♭3)

AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 5th fret on the A string while the other fingers hold the 3rd fret, requiring a wide stretch and finger independence.

Gm7/D inversion

G minor 7th is played at the 8th fret as 10 10 8 10: middle finger on the E string at fret 10, ring finger on the A string at fret 10, index finger on the D string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 10.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	10	2	D (5)
3 (A)	10	3	G (1)
2 (D)	8	1	B♭ (♭3)
1 (G)	10	4	F (♭7)

Gm7/F inversion · open position

G minor 7th is played in open position as 1 1 0 0: index finger on the E string at fret 1 and middle finger on the A string at fret 1. The D and G strings ring open.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	1	1	F (♭7)
3 (A)	1	2	B♭ (♭3)
2 (D)	open	—	D (5)
1 (G)	open	—	G (1)

Gm7/F inversion · fret 12

G minor 7th is played at the 12th fret as 13 13 12 12: ring finger on the E string at fret 13, pinky finger on the A string at fret 13, index finger on the D string at fret 12 and middle finger on the G string at fret 12.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	13	3	F (♭7)
3 (A)	13	4	B♭ (♭3)
2 (D)	12	1	D (5)
1 (G)	12	2	G (1)

Why it sounds like that

G minor 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The minor 7th interval from G to F gives the chord its mellow, jazzy quality. Compare it with G minor, which lacks the F.

What goes wrong with G minor 7th?

Letting the pinky collapse and buzz the 3rd string.
Allowing the middle finger to touch the 1st string and mute the D.
Strumming before all fingers are firmly placed, causing a dead note.

When to use it

G minor 7th functions as the vi chord in B♭ major, appearing in progressions like B♭–F–Gm–E♭ (I–V–vi–IV). It suits jazz, blues, and soul, often paired with B♭ major and E♭ major.

Changing to and from G minor 7th

Sliding the shape down two frets to the 1st fret gives F minor 7th.
From G minor 7th, move the pinky from the 5th fret to the 6th fret on the A string to form A♭ minor 7th.

Which voicing to use

Use the 3rd-fret voicing for a root-position G minor 7th with a low G. The Gm7/D inversion at the 10th fret places the fifth in the bass for a smoother sound, while the Gm7/F inversion at the 1st fret puts the seventh in the bass and is easier to play.

Other G chords

Common questions

How does G minor 7th differ from G minor?

G minor 7th adds the note F, a minor 7th above G, to the G minor triad. The added seventh creates a softer, more complex sound that pulls toward the sixth degree.

What is the easiest voicing for G minor 7th?

The Gm7/F inversion at the 1st fret is easier because it uses two open strings and lower frets. It places the seventh in the bass, which sounds less grounded than the root position.

Can G minor 7th be played with open strings?

The Gm7/F inversion uses open D and G strings, but the root position at the 3rd fret has no open strings. The open strings are the fifth and root of the chord.

Why is the Gm7/D inversion useful?

The Gm7/D inversion places the fifth, D, in the bass, creating a stepwise descending bass line when moving to C minor or B♭ major.