Piano chord
C Minor Chord
Cm is a minor chord built on C. It contains the notes C – E♭ – G.
Cm
Also written: Cmin, C-
- C
- E♭
- G
Notes in Cm
Count up from C using the intervals below. The formula shows each note relative to the C major scale.
| Notes | Intervals | Formula | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Root | 1 | 0 |
| E♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 | 3 |
| G | Perfect 5th | 5 | 7 |
How to play Cm on piano
- Right hand: fingers 1–3–5 (thumb on C).
- Left hand: fingers 5–3–1 (little finger on the lowest note).
- Press the keys together, then try playing them one at a time as an arpeggio.
Cm inversions
An inversion puts a different note of Cm at the bottom. The notes stay the same, the colour and voice leading change.
Root position
CmC – E♭ – G
1st inversion
Cm/E♭E♭ – G – C
2nd inversion
Cm/GG – C – E♭
About minor chords
Lower the middle note by one semitone and everything shifts inward. Minor chords carry weight, longing, and emotional depth.
Sound: Melancholic & introspective
Songs that use it
- Someone Like You · AdelePop
- Hurt · Johnny CashCountry
- Yesterday · The BeatlesRock
Keys that contain Cm
Cm is built only from notes of these keys. The Roman numeral shows its role in each key.
Hear Cm with different sounds and compare it with other chords in the interactive builder.
Open in the chord builderPractising on an acoustic piano that sounds off?
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