Cm, minor chord
C, E♭ and G
- Root
- C
- Minor third
- E♭
- Perfect fifth
- G
Formula
1 ♭3 5 (3, 7 half steps above C)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | C | E♭ | G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
C minor inversions
C minor has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
Cm
Root position
| Notes | C | E♭ | G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Cm/E♭
First inversion
| Notes | E♭ | G | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Cm/G
Second inversion
| Notes | G | C | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with C minor
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. C minor appears as:
- i in C minor
- vi in E♭ major
- ii in B♭ major
- iii in A♭ major
- iv in G minor
- v in F minor
How C minor is built
C is the root, E♭ the minor third and G the perfect fifth.
A minor chord is a root, the minor third 3 half steps above it and the perfect fifth 7 half steps above it. Raise the middle note by one key and C minor becomes C major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of C minor are C, E, G. That is why it is spelled C, E♭ and G.
Find C minor yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of C minor, in any octave and any order.
Practice C minor in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the C minor chord?
C minor (Cm) has three notes: C, E♭ and G. C is the root, E♭ the minor third and G the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for C minor on piano?
In root position, play C, E♭ and G with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of C minor?
C minor has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Cm/E♭): E♭, G and C. Second inversion (Cm/G): G, C and E♭.
What key is C minor in?
C minor is i in C minor, its home key. It also appears as vi in E♭ major, ii in B♭ major, iii in A♭ major, iv in G minor and v in F minor.