Standard
C minor · A shape
Cm guitar chord
What it is
Root
Notes
10 results
Best match1Exact match
Chords7
Standard
C minor added ninth · Open position
Standard
C minor added eleventh · Open position
Standard
C minor major seventh · Open position
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How to play Cm on guitar
The most common way, the first shape above: lay your index finger flat across the five strings from the A to the high E at the 3rd fret, your ring finger on the D string at the 5th fret, your little finger on the G string at the 5th fret and your middle finger on the B string at the 4th fret. Don’t play the low E string.
From the low E string x 3 5 5 4 3 (x: not played, 0: open)
An easier Cm
The full shape is a barre chord, hard at first. This one needs no full barre and sounds much the same: your ring finger on the A string at the 3rd fret, your index finger on the D string at the 1st fret, your middle finger on the B string at the 1st fret and your little finger on the high E string at the 3rd fret. Let the G string ring open. Don’t play the low E string.
x 3 1 0 1 3
Cm, the easier shape
StandardOpen position · 5 strings
What notes are in Cm?
Cm, C minor, is C, E♭ and G: the root (C), the minor third (E♭) and the perfect fifth (G). Its formula is 1 ♭3 5.
What is the difference between Cm and C?
One note. Cm has the minor third, E♭; C raises it a half step to E.
Can I play Cm7 instead of Cm?
Usually, yes. Cm7 adds B♭ to the three notes of Cm, which softens it without changing what it does in a song.
What is the relative major of Cm?
E♭: it has the same notes as the key of C minor, and its chord shares two of the three notes of Cm.
Keys with Cm
Cm is the vi chord in E♭ major, the iii chord in A♭ major, the ii chord in B♭ major, the i chord in C minor, the v chord in F minor and the iv chord in G minor.
More C chords on guitar
CbrightC7the pullCmaj7dreamyCm7mellowCsus2openCsus4openCadd9sweetCdimthe edgeCauguneasyC6sweetCm6bittersweetC9the pullC7sus4openC5rawCm7♭5the edgeCdim7the edgeEvery C chord ›