How to play the Am7 chord on guitar

Am7 is Am with the ring finger lifted. It is easier than Am and sounds softer, which is why it fills slow songs and ballads.

Am7

The 3D hands holding Am7. Switch to 0.5× and turn the guitar to see each finger.

Am7: x 0 2 0 1 0

Where the fingers go

Middle finger (2) on the D (4th) string, fret 2.
Index finger (1) on the B (2nd) string, fret 1.
Let A (5th), G (3rd) and high E (1st) ring open.
Do not play low E (6th).

Notes in the chord: A – E – G – C

Tips

Let the open 3rd string ring: that G is the 7th.
Swap it in for Am when a song feels too heavy; most of the time nobody will notice except that it sounds gentler.
Am7, Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7 together make a smooth jazzy loop in C using only easy shapes.

Practise Am7 inside a real song

Paste the chords of any song that uses Am7, or snap a photo of the sheet. SnapFret plays it with the hands, and you can loop the change you find hardest.

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