Guitar · voicings
Shell m7 voicings on guitar
Shell m7 (1–♭3–♭7). The root stays in the bass; the other notes go in either order above it. Practice Lab's voicing search finds 7 shapes, every one movable: drawn here on C (C, E♭, B♭), each plays any key moved to it, as the table below shows.
| Note | C | E♭ | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | 1 | ♭3 | ♭7 |
From the bass: C E♭ B♭ (1 ♭3 ♭7)
Strings 6, 5 and 4
Grip 8-6-8-x-x-x · frets 6–8Strings 5, 4 and 3
Grip x-3-1-3-x-x · frets 1–3Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-10-8-11-x · frets 8–11Show 1 more string setShow 2 more string setsShow less
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-10-8-11-x · frets 8–11Strings 3, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-x-5-4-6 · frets 4–6From the bass: C B♭ E♭ (1 ♭7 ♭3)
Strings 6, 4 and 3
Grip 8-x-8-8-x-x · fret 8Strings 5, 3 and 2
Grip x-3-x-3-4-x · frets 3–4Strings 4, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-10-x-11-11 · frets 10–11Show 1 more string setShow less
Strings 4, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-10-x-11-11 · frets 10–11Where the shapes start in every key
The fret of each shape's lowest note, between fret 1 and 12, by the string it is on and the degree it plays.
| Key | String 3 (1) | String 4 (1) | String 5 (1) | String 6 (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 5 | 10 | 3 | 8 |
| C♯ | 6 | 11 | 4 | 9 |
| D | 7 | 12 | 5 | 10 |
| E♭ | 8 | 1 | 6 | 11 |
| E | 9 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
| F | 10 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| F♯ | 11 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| G | 12 | 5 | 10 | 3 |
| G♯ | 1 | 6 | 11 | 4 |
| A | 2 | 7 | 12 | 5 |
| B♭ | 3 | 8 | 1 | 6 |
| B | 4 | 9 | 2 | 7 |
Scales with Shell m7 on C in them
Scale pages on the same root that hold every note of the voicing.
Use it in a progression
Progression pages with a chord on C it can voice, with the numeral it plays.
- ii–V–I in B♭ (Cm7 as ii7)
- ii–V–I in C minor (Cm7 as i7)
- I–vi–ii–V in E♭ (Cm7 as vi)
- I–vi–ii–V in B♭ (Cm7 as ii)
- Autumn Leaves (Cm7 as 1)
- Blue Bossa (Cm7 as 1)
- Rhythm changes (Cm7 as 2a)
- Tritone substitute (Cm7 as ii7)
- Tritone sub with its related ii (Cm7 as ii7)
- Backdoor ii–V (Cm7 as ii7)
- Secondary dominants (Cm7 as ii)
- Passing diminished chord (Cm7 as ii)
- Minor iv (Cm7 as ii7)
Practice it in Practice Lab
Practice Shell m7 voicings in every key, at your tempo, with a plan that adapts. Free, in your browser, no account.
Open it in Practice Lab