Explore chords · Ukulele
F minor 7th chord on ukulele (Fm7)
Also called or written Fm7 or Fmin7
F minor 7th contains F, A♭, C, and E♭. The 10th-fret grip stretches the pinky to the 12th fret while the other fingers hold the 11th fret.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7
- Root positionF–A♭–C–E♭Fm75-5-4-6
- First inversionA♭–C–E♭–FFm7/A♭8-8-8-8
- Second inversionC–E♭–F–A♭Fm7/C10-12-11-11
- Third inversionE♭–F–A♭–CFm7/E♭1-3-1-3
How do you play an F minor 7th chord on ukulele?
F minor 7th is played at the 10th fret as 10 12 11 11: index finger on the G string at fret 10, pinky finger on the C string at fret 12, middle finger on the E string at fret 11 and ring finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 1 | F (1) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 4 | C (5) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 3 | A♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must stretch to the 12th fret on the C string while the middle and ring fingers hold the 11th fret, risking a muted E string.
Fm7/E♭ inversion
F minor 7th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 1 3: index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, middle finger on the E string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 2 | F (1) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (5) |
4th fret
F minor 7th is played at the 4th fret as 5 5 4 6: middle finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 5, index finger on the E string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 2 | C (5) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 3 | F (1) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 1 | A♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (♭7) |
Fm7/A♭ inversion
F minor 7th is played at the 8th fret as 8 8 8 8: barre your index finger across fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F minor 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The minor 3rd between F and A♭ gives the chord its minor quality, and the minor 7th E♭ adds a mellow tension. Compare it to F minor, which omits the 7th.
What goes wrong with F minor 7th?
- Letting the pinky collapse onto the E string, muting it.
- Pressing the index finger too flat, which can buzz the G string.
- Rushing the stretch so the C string note sounds sharp.
When to use it
F minor 7th works as the vi chord in A♭ major, appearing in the progression A♭ major–E♭ major–F minor–D♭ major (I–V–vi–IV). It suits soul and R&B. Try it with F minor and A♭ major.
Changing to and from F minor 7th
- From F minor 7th, slide down two frets to the 8th fret for E♭ minor 7th.
- From F minor 7th, slide down one fret to the 9th fret for E minor 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 10th-fret voicing keeps F in the bass for a grounded sound. The Fm7/A♭ inversion at the 1st fret puts A♭ in the bass, softening the chord. For a brighter top, use the Fm7/C inversion at the 5th fret.
Other F chords
Common questions
How is F minor 7th written?
F minor 7th is written Fmin7 or Fm7.
Why does the 10th-fret voicing feel so stretched?
The stretch comes from the pinky reaching the 12th fret on the C string while the other fingers stay near the 10th and 11th frets. Practicing the shape slowly helps the hand adapt.
How does F minor 7th differ from F minor?
F minor 7th adds the note E♭, a minor 7th above the root. This extra note creates a softer, more complex sound than the plain triad.