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Learn › F Minor 7 (Fm7) Chord Inversions: All Four Positions

New Released in April 2026

F Minor 7 (Fm7) Chord Inversions: All Four Positions

To invert Fm7, move the lowest note up an octave: F Ab C Eb becomes Ab C Eb F, then C Eb F Ab, then Eb F Ab C. Learn to spot each position at a glance, then use the nearest one to move between chords.

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Fm7/Ab Ab C Eb F

Fm7 inversions on the piano

Root position starts on F, then Ab, C and Eb.

Fm7 F Ab C Eb

Root position: F Ab C Eb

Fm7/Ab Ab C Eb F

1st inversion: Ab C Eb F

Fm7/C C Eb F Ab

2nd inversion: C Eb F Ab

Fm7/Eb Eb F Ab C

3rd inversion: Eb F Ab C

  • Root position: starts on F, a white key; black keys: Ab, Eb
  • 1st inversion: starts on Ab, a black key; black keys: Ab, Eb
  • 2nd inversion: starts on C, a white key; black keys: Eb, Ab
  • 3rd inversion: starts on Eb, a black key; black keys: Eb, Ab

How to tell the Fm7 inversions apart

One rule: find the pair of neighbouring notes. Its place tells you the inversion, and its upper note is the root.

PositionBassNameFigured bassRule
Root positionFFm77no neighbours: four notes evenly stacked (minor 3rd + major 3rd + minor 3rd)
1st inversionAbFm7/Ab6/5neighbours at the top (major 3rd + minor 3rd + major 2nd)
2nd inversionCFm7/C4/3neighbours in the middle (minor 3rd + major 2nd + minor 3rd)
3rd inversionEbFm7/Eb4/2neighbours at the bottom (major 2nd + minor 3rd + major 3rd)

Fingering for Fm7 in every position

PositionRight handLeft hand
Root position (F Ab C Eb)1-2-3-55-3-2-1
1st inversion (Ab C Eb F)1-2-3-55-3-2-1
2nd inversion (C Eb F Ab)1-2-3-55-3-2-1
3rd inversion (Eb F Ab C)1-2-3-55-3-2-1

Four notes, four fingers: 1-2-3-5 in the right hand and 5-3-2-1 in the left work in every position.

Fm7 in a vi-ii-V with inversions: Fm7 → Bbm7 → Eb7

Each chord uses the position nearest to the one before, so the hand barely moves and most notes step by one or two keys.

Fm7 C Eb F Ab
Bbm7 Bb Db F Ab
Eb7 Bb Db Eb G
  • From Fm7 to Bbm7: C → Bb, Eb → Db, F stays, Ab stays.
  • From Bbm7 to Eb7: Bb stays, Db stays, F → Eb, Ab → G.
ChordRunner showing a chord block while hands play the piano

Make Fm7 inversions automatic

ChordRunner accepts every voicing, so you can drill all four positions of Fm7 between other chords. MIDI keyboard or microphone.

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The Fm7 chord · All piano chords · Seventh chords explained

Common questions

What are the inversions of Fm7?

Root position F Ab C Eb, 1st inversion Ab C Eb F (Fm7/Ab), 2nd inversion C Eb F Ab (Fm7/C) and 3rd inversion Eb F Ab C (Fm7/Eb).

How do I recognise the 3rd inversion of Fm7?

The seventh, Eb, is in the bass and sits right next to the root F above it: the pair of neighbouring notes is at the bottom.

Can I practise Fm7 inversions with a MIDI keyboard or microphone?

Yes. ChordRunner detects a USB MIDI keyboard automatically and also hears a piano through the microphone; every inversion of Fm7 counts.

Your instrument is the controller.

ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

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