Cm Chord on Guitar
Notes C E♭ G. Start with the 4-string Cm (x x 5 5 4 3), then the Am-shape barre at fret 3.
Chord · Cm minor
Easy Cm (4 strings) · x x 5 5 4 3
movable, no open strings
Am-shape barre (fret 3) · x 3 5 5 4 3
barre, movable
Em-shape barre (fret 8) · 8 10 10 8 8 8
barre, movable
1 C♭3 E♭5 G
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 5
- String 3 (G): pinky (4), fret 5
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 4
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 3
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at fret 3
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): index (1), fret 3
- String 4 (D): ring (3), fret 5
- String 3 (G): pinky (4), fret 5
- String 2 (B): middle (2), fret 4
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 3
- Barre: index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 8
- String 6 (low E): index (1), fret 8
- String 5 (A): ring (3), fret 10
- String 4 (D): pinky (4), fret 10
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 8
- String 2 (B): index (1), fret 8
- String 1 (high e): index (1), fret 8
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from C |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | root |
| ♭3 | E♭ | minor 3rd |
| 5 | G | perfect 5th |
Formula 1 ♭3 5 (minor).
Also written Cmin, C minor.
More on this chord type: Barre chords
Capo shapes that sound as Cm
Open shapes you may already know, moved up with a capo.
Am shape + capo 3
Need the capo fret for a whole song? Capo calculator: any song key, any shapes. New to the capo? How to use a capo.
Progressions with Cm
| Key · progression | Chords | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| C minor i–VI–III–VII | Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭ | |
| C minor i–iv–v–i | Cm – Fm – Gm – Cm | |
| E♭ major I–V–vi–IV | E♭ – B♭ – Cm – A♭ | |
| E♭ major I–vi–IV–V | E♭ – Cm – A♭ – B♭ | |
| B♭ major ii–V–I | Cm – F – B♭ |
Keys that contain Cm
| Key | Cm is the |
|---|---|
| C minor | i |
| F minor | v |
| G minor | iv |
| E♭ major | vi |
| B♭ major | ii |
| A♭ major | iii |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing Cm: what goes wrong
The Bm grip one fret up
The 4-string Cm is the 4-string Bm moved up one fret, and the barre Cm is the barre Bm moved up one fret. Learn one and you have both.
Cm in songs in G
Cm is the "minor four" borrowed from G minor: G, C, Cm, G is a common move in songs in G major.
Related chords
Learn and practise Cm
- Metronomepractise the change to Cm at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in Cm?
C, E♭, G: the 1, ♭3, 5 of the Cm minor chord.
Is there an open Cm chord?
Not a full one in standard tuning. Cm is C, E♭, G and of the open strings only G belongs to it, so Cm is played as a barre, a 4-string shape, or an Am shape with a capo on fret 3.