Chords in the key of C minor
The key of C minor has seven diatonic chords: CmCmCmCm, D°, Eb, FmFmFmFm, GmGmGmGm, Ab and Bb. As sevenths: Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7, Dm7b5, Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7, Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7, Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7, Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7 and Bb7Bb7Bb7Bb7. They come from the C natural minor scale, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab and Bb, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | CmCmCmCm | Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7 | tonic |
| ii° | D° | Dm7b5 | subdominant |
| III | EbEbEbEb | Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7Ebmaj7 | tonic |
| iv | FmFmFmFm | Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7 | subdominant |
| v | GmGmGmGm | Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7 | dominant |
| VI | AbAbAbAb | Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7 | subdominant |
| VII | BbBbBbBb | Bb7Bb7Bb7Bb7 | subdominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.
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.