The G Minor 7th chord is a four-note chord made up of G, B♭, D, and F. It is built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh.
Construction
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| G | Root | 1 |
| B♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| D | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| F | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
G Minor 7th Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | G – B♭ – D – F |
| 1st Inversion | B♭ – D – F – G |
| 2nd Inversion | D – F – G – B♭ |
| 3rd Inversion | F – G – B♭ – D |
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the G Minor 7th is the tonic (i) chord of G Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, Bb Major — 2 flats (B♭, E♭).
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of G Minor
These are the triads built on each degree of the G minor scale:
How G Minor 7th functions in a key
The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where G Minor 7th sits diatonically across the common keys:
- In B♭ major, G Minor 7th is the vi chord — the tonic.
- In G minor, G Minor 7th is the i chord — the tonic.
- In F major, G Minor 7th is the ii chord — a predominant.
- In D minor, G Minor 7th is the iv chord — a predominant.
- In E♭ major, G Minor 7th is the iii chord — a mediant / color chord.
- In C minor, G Minor 7th is the v chord.
Same Notes, Other Names
The notes G – B♭ – D – F aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell: