Fm(maj7)

Character: mysterious

  1. FRtriad
  2. A♭♭3triad
  3. C5triad
  4. E7add
Voicings

14 ways to play Fm(maj7)

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape 3rd inversion Fm(maj7)/E
5 6 7 8 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets x 7 6 5 6 xNotes E A♭ C FIntervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadF minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

CC shape Root position Fm(maj7)
5 6 7 8 7 5 ♭3 R 5

Frets x 8 6 5 5 8Notes F A♭ C EIntervals 1 ♭3 5 7Base triadF minor, root position

The 7th gets a string of its own.

CC shape 1st inversion Fm(maj7)/A♭
5 6 7 8 9 5 R 7 ♭3

Frets x x 6 9 6 xNotes A♭ E FIntervals ♭3 7 1Base triadF minor, 1st inversion

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape Root position Fm(maj7)
5 6 7 8 9 5 7 ♭3 R 5 R

Frets x 8 6 9 6 8Notes F A♭ EIntervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadF minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape 2nd inversion Fm(maj7)/C
5 6 7 8 9 7 ♭3 R 5 5 R

Frets 8 8 6 9 6 8Notes C F A♭ EIntervals 5 1 ♭3 7Base triadF minor, 2nd inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

AA shape Root position Fm(maj7)
8 9 10 11 12 5 7 ♭3 R

Frets x x x 10 9 12Notes F A♭ EIntervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadF minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

AA shape 2nd inversion AnchoredFm(maj7)
8 9 10 11 R ♭3 7 5 R 5

Frets x 8 10 9 9 8Notes F C E A♭Intervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadF minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

GG shape 3rd inversion Fm(maj7)/E
10 11 12 13 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets 12 11 10 10 x xNotes E A♭ C FIntervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadF minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 3rd inversion Fm(maj7)/E
1 2 3 4 R 5 ♭3 7

Frets x x 2 1 1 1Notes E A♭ C FIntervals 7 ♭3 5 1Base triadF minor, 1st inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

EE shape Root position Fm(maj7)
1 2 3 4 7 5 ♭3 R 5 R

Frets 1 3 3 1 1 0Notes F A♭ C EIntervals 1 ♭3 5 7Base triadF minor, root position

The 7th gets a string of its own.

EE shape Root position Fm(maj7)
1 2 3 4 5 5 7 ♭3 R R 5 R

Frets 1 3 3 1 5 1Notes F A♭ EIntervals 1 ♭3 7Base triadF minor, root position

The 7th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 3rd inversion Fm(maj7)/E
1 2 3 4 ♭3 R 5 7

Frets 0 3 3 1 x xNotes E C F A♭Intervals 7 5 1 ♭3Base triadF minor, 2nd inversion

The 7th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 2nd inversion AnchoredFm(maj7)
1 2 3 4 R ♭3 7 5 R R 5

Frets 1 3 2 1 1 1Notes F C E A♭Intervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadF minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

DD shape 2nd inversion AnchoredFm(maj7)
3 4 5 6 R ♭3 7 5 R

Frets x x 3 5 5 4Notes F C E A♭Intervals 1 5 7 ♭3Base triadF minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.

The rules

The construction rules Fm(maj7) follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. A third on top makes a 7th chord

    A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.

  3. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

  4. The root can move down

    When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Minor major 7th in every key

Fm(maj7) chord questions

What notes are in Fm(maj7)?

Fm(maj7) is spelled F A♭ C E: F is the root, A♭ is the ♭3rd, C is the 5th, E is the 7th.

What is the formula of Fm(maj7)?

1 ♭3 5 7. It is a F minor triad with the 7th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play Fm(maj7) on guitar?

This page shows 14 voicings of Fm(maj7), filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.