G#m7 Chord on Guitar
G#m7 = G# – B – D# – F# (Root, Minor 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th)
G#m7 is G# minor with one finger removed rather than added: the D# string, which in the plain minor barre holds the octave root, comes off the fretboard and simply rings at the barre fret instead — the same simplification F#m7 and Gm7 make lower on the neck.
The notes are G#-B-D#-F#: root, minor third, fifth, and minor seventh, with the fifth doubled. Minor-seventh chords carry a smoother, jazzier version of a minor triad's sadness, and G#m7 is diatonic to both F# major (where it's the ii chord, the classic opener of a ii-V-I) and B major (where it's the vi chord) — either context is common, and it's also the iii chord of E major, giving it three separate diatonic homes among guitar-friendly sharp keys.
Fingerings
Barre (4th fret)
How to Practice It
If G# minor is already known, this is nearly free — practice lifting the finger that frets the D#-string octave root while the rest of the hand stays clamped down. Work it into a ii-V-I in F# major (G#m7 – C#7 – F#maj7) to hear its jazz function rather than only its pop-minor sound, and compare it against F#m7 and Gm7 to feel how the identical relationship transfers across roots.
Common Progressions
- G#m7 – C#7 – F#maj7 (ii – V – I in F# major, a jazz turnaround)
- B – G#m7 – E – F# (I – vi – IV – V in B major)
- G#m7 – F# – E – F# (vi – V – IV – V in B major)
- C#m7 – G#m7 – F# (iii – vi-ish borrowed color – V, mixed-context vamp)
FAQ
- What changes between G# minor and G#m7?
- One finger comes off: the D# string, fretted for the plain minor chord's octave root, is released entirely and left to ring at the barre fret, which is the minor seventh.
- Is G#m7 easier than G# minor?
- Yes, genuinely — it requires one fewer fretted note than the plain minor barre, the same relationship F#m7 and Gm7 have to their own plain-minor versions.
- Where does G#m7 fit in common guitar keys?
- It's the ii chord of F# major, the vi chord of B major, and the iii chord of E major, giving it three separate diatonic homes among the guitar's frequently used sharp keys.
- How does G#m7 differ in sound from plain G# minor?
- The added minor seventh smooths out the starkness of the plain minor triad, giving a mellower, jazzier minor color that suits grooves and ballads better than the more dramatic plain minor chord.
- Is this chord ever notated as Abm7 instead?
- Yes, in flat-key charts, though the pitches and fingering stay identical regardless of which name is used.
G#m7 on other instruments: G#m7 on Piano, G#m7 on Ukulele. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.