The Abm7 chord contains A♭, C♭, E♭ and G♭. Also written A♭m7, it combines a minor triad with a minor seventh. C♭ sounds on the B key of the piano.
Build the Abm7 chord by adding G♭ to A♭–C♭–E♭. Its formula is 1–♭3–5–♭7. C♭ is the minor third above A♭; substituting C natural changes that third to major. Keep the written C♭ even though its sounding key is B.
This spelling includes C♭. Preserve the theoretical written spelling even when an enharmonic name shares the same piano key.
Choose a position to keep the four written notes, sounding keys, bass note, playback and print reference synchronized.
Build the Abm7 chord with A♭, the B pitch class for C♭, E♭ and G♭. C natural would give Ab7 instead. The exercise checks four pitch classes, accepting different selection orders without assessing an inversion or a live performance.
A♭m7 uses 1–♭3–5–♭7: A♭–C♭–E♭–G♭.
a minor triad plus a minor seventh
Compared with A♭ minor, add the minor seventh above the root.
A seventh chord has four chord tones and therefore four positions: root position plus three inversions. The slash symbol identifies the written bass note.
| Position | Symbol | Notes, low to high | Bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position, current selection | A♭m7 | A♭3–C♭4–E♭4–G♭4 | A♭3 |
| First inversion | A♭m7/C♭ | C♭4–E♭4–G♭4–A♭4 | C♭4 |
| Second inversion | A♭m7/E♭ | E♭4–G♭4–A♭4–C♭5 | E♭4 |
| Third inversion | A♭m7/G♭ | G♭4–A♭4–C♭5–E♭5 | G♭4 |
The Abm7 chord diagrams locate four pitches without assigning fingers. C♭, E♭ and G♭ are the inversion bass notes. Read C♭ and its octave carefully when comparing the keyboard labels; a B key supplies that written pitch.
Use the written notes, keyboard positions and playback without treating the diagram as a required hand shape.
Read left- and right-hand finger numbersOpen Music Theory
Supports: Minor Seventh chord construction, written spelling and inversion principles
Scope: Supports theory and spelling only; keyboard layouts are PianoGrid examples, and no fingering is assigned.
A♭, C♭, E♭ and G♭. They give a minor third, perfect fifth and minor seventh above the root.
The Abm7 chord needs a third above A♭, so it uses the letter C. Lowering C to C♭ gives the minor third. B is the corresponding sounding key on the piano.
The Abm7 chord uses C♭ and G♭. Ab7 uses C and G♭; Abmaj7 uses C and G. Check both the third and seventh when comparing these four-note chords.
C♭ starts the first inversion, E♭ the second and G♭ the third. Root position starts on A♭. The four chord tones stay the same as their order changes.
Select the four pitch classes that make A♭m7, then check your answer.
This one-octave exercise checks the exact four-note pitch-class set. Order and inversion do not affect the result; missing and extra notes are reported, while fingering and live performance are not assessed.
One octave, C through B. Select a key again to remove it.
Chord tones: A♭–C♭–E♭–G♭ · Formula: 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7
Dots mark the notes to play. C4 is middle C. Numbers identify octaves, not fingers.