Gm7 — the G minor 7 guitar chord

Gm7 is compact and smoky, and you’ll hear it all over funk and R&B grooves. Only the lower four strings sound, so keep the strum short. The pinky at the 3rd fret is the weak link here. Press firmly or the D string will buzz.

Gm7
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How to play it

  • Index finger on the A string (5th), 1st fret.
  • Ring finger on the low E string (6th), 3rd fret.
  • Pinky on the D string (4th), 3rd fret.
  • Let the open G string (3rd) ring.
  • Don't strum the B string (2nd) and high E string (1st). They stay silent in this shape.

Changes to practice

Holding Gm7 still is the easy part. Songs need you to arrive at it in rhythm, so in Strumhold you practice Gm7 as changes, alongside the rest of the Open Minor 7ths set:

Same root, different color

  • G — G major
  • Gm — G minor
  • G7 — G dominant 7
  • Gmaj7 — G major 7