Chords in the key of C minor on guitar

The key of C minor has seven diatonic chords: Cm Cm Cm Cm, D°, Eb, Fm Fm Fm Fm, Gm Gm Gm Gm, Ab and Bb. As sevenths: Cm7 Cm7 Cm7 Cm7, Dm7b5, Ebmaj7 Ebmaj7 Ebmaj7 Ebmaj7, Fm7 Fm7 Fm7 Fm7, Gm7 Gm7 Gm7 Gm7, Abmaj7 Abmaj7 Abmaj7 Abmaj7 and Bb7 Bb7 Bb7 Bb7. They come from the C natural minor scale, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab and Bb, one on each note. On guitar, the shapes below are the seventh chords of every degree, and the tonic one has C in the bass.

On the guitar, six strings give the chord room to breathe — some positions use them all, others ask you to mute the lowest ones. Its hollow wooden body gives every chord a warm, natural ring that blooms and fades on its own.

Seventh chords in C minor on guitar

i · tonic× 3 5 3 4 3

ii° · subdominant× × 0 1 1 1

III · tonic× 6 8 7 8 6

iv · subdominant1 3 1 1 1 1

v · dominant3 5 3 3 3 3

VI · subdominant4 6 5 5 4 4

VII · subdominant× 1 3 1 3 1

These are the chords of the natural minor scale. In practice the v often becomes V (major) or V7, borrowed from the harmonic minor, to create the leading tone that pulls back to the tonic.

Chords in the key of C minor on guitar

Seventh chords in C minor on guitar

See also