Cm7, minor seventh chord
C, E♭, G and B♭
- Root
- C
- Minor third
- E♭
- Perfect fifth
- G
- Minor seventh
- B♭
Formula
1 ♭3 5 ♭7 (3, 7, 10 half steps above C)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | C | E♭ | G | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
C minor 7 inversions
C minor 7 has 3 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.
Cm7
Root position
| Notes | C | E♭ | G | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Cm7/E♭
First inversion
| Notes | E♭ | G | B♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Cm7/G
Second inversion
| Notes | G | B♭ | C | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Cm7/B♭
Third inversion
| Notes | B♭ | C | E♭ | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with C minor 7
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. C minor 7 appears as:
- i7 in C minor
- vi7 in E♭ major
- ii7 in B♭ major
- iii7 in A♭ major
- iv7 in G minor
- v7 in F minor
How C minor 7 is built
C is the root, E♭ the minor third, G the perfect fifth and B♭ the minor seventh.
A minor seventh chord is a minor chord plus the minor seventh, 10 half steps above the root. C minor 7 uses the same keys as E♭6.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of C minor 7 are C, E, G, B. That is why it is spelled C, E♭, G and B♭.
Find C minor 7 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 4
Tap the notes of C minor 7, in any octave and any order.
Practice C minor 7 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 7 chord?
C minor 7 (Cm7) has four notes: C, E♭, G and B♭. C is the root, E♭ the minor third, G the perfect fifth and B♭ the minor seventh.
What fingers do you use for C minor 7 on piano?
In root position, play C, E♭, G and B♭ with right hand fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb, index finger, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3, 2 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 7?
C minor 7 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Cm7/E♭): E♭, G, B♭ and C. Second inversion (Cm7/G): G, B♭, C and E♭. Third inversion (Cm7/B♭): B♭, C, E♭ and G.
What key is C minor 7 in?
C minor 7 is i7 in C minor, its home key. It also appears as vi7 in E♭ major, ii7 in B♭ major, iii7 in A♭ major, iv7 in G minor and v7 in F minor.