The seven chords of C Minor with guitar diagrams, the progressions you will meet most, capo options, and free songs to play in this key.
The C Minor scale is C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb. Build a chord on each note using only the scale's own notes and you get the seven diatonic chords below. Songs in C Minor are made mostly of these, with the i, iv and V doing most of the work. In practice the V chord is usually G or G7 (the harmonic minor's raised 7th) rather than Gm: it pulls back to Cm much harder.
With sevenths: Cm7 (im7), Dm7b5 (iim7b5), Ebmaj7 (IIImaj7), Fm7 (ivm7), Gm7 (vm7), Abmaj7 (VImaj7), Bb7 (VII7), and G7 (V7). Tap any chord for every voicing, the notes and how to play it.
| Numerals | In C Minor | Heard in |
|---|---|---|
| i VI III VII | Cm Ab Eb Bb | the minor pop progression |
| i VII VI V | Cm Bb Ab G | the Andalusian cadence (the V is the major chord) |
| i iv V | Cm Fm G | the minor three-chord progression (V from harmonic minor) |
| i iv VII III | Cm Fm Bb Eb | a folk and rock favourite |
| i VI VII i | Cm Ab Bb Cm | the rock minor loop |
Write one out in the free Chord Progression Chart, or train your ear to hear them with Name the Progression.
To play C Minor with open chords: capo 3 and play Am shapes. The shapes you fret belong to the other key; what comes out of the guitar is C Minor. Lower capo positions keep more of the guitar's ring.
Every key and fret is on the guitar capo chart, and the Chord Sheet Maker rewrites any song's chords for a capo or a new key.
Free chord sheets on Guitar Scribble served in C Minor, chords over the lyrics, printable.
Relative major: Eb major (same notes and chords, a different home). Parallel major: C major (same root, a different mood).
All free, in the browser. The Chord Sheet Maker transposes any sheet into C Minor with one click.
The seven chords built on the C Minor scale are Cm, Ddim, Eb, Fm, Gm, Ab, Bb. As roman numerals: i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, VII. Most songs in C Minor use G or G7 as the V chord, from the harmonic minor scale, rather than Gm.
Eb major. It shares every note and every chord with C Minor; the difference is which chord feels like home.
capo 3 and play Am shapes. The shapes you fret are from the other key; the sound is C Minor.
