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Melancholic

C Minor

C · Eb · G

Watch on YouTube
Cmo123

Shape 1 · difficulty 3/10

Cm3fr4

Shape 2 · difficulty 7/10

CC#DEbEFF#GG#ABbB
MajorMinorDominant 7thMinor 7thMajor 7thDiminishedAugmentedSuspended 2ndSuspended 4th
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About the Cm chord

Cm is a C minor chord built from C, Eb, G. Soft and melancholic: the emotional counterpart to major. Adds depth and longing.

Root

C

Quality

Minor

Chord tones

C Eb G

Shapes

2 · beginner

Notes & intervals

Every minor chord stacks the same intervals on its root. In Cm, that gives you:

C

root1

Home base. The root names the chord, and every other note is measured from it.

Eb

minor third♭3

The minor third is where the melancholy lives: it turns the chord dark and tender.

G

perfect fifth5

The fifth adds weight and strength behind the root.

Cm sits in the key of G major.

Used in genres

Minor chords show up all over the progression catalog, most of all in these styles:

PopClassicsIslandRockJazzFolk & Country

Character & mood

MelancholicSoft and melancholic: the emotional counterpart to major. Adds depth and longing.

Find another chord

Popular chords

ACGDFAmEmDm

Frequently asked questions

How do you play Cm on ukulele?

Cm is one of the first chords most players learn. The first shape is the easiest voicing: 3 fretted strings and 1 open string. Put your index finger on the 3rd fret of the C string. Put your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the E string. Put your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the A string. Leave the G string open. Strum all four strings and check each one rings cleanly. Watch on YouTube

What notes are in a Cm chord?

Cm is C, Eb, G. That is a minor triad (root, minor third, perfect fifth). Play them in any order and you still get Cm. Cm sits in the key of G major.

What makes Cm a minor chord?

A minor chord stacks root, minor third, and perfect fifth (1–♭3–5). In Cm that is the notes above. Soft and melancholic: the emotional counterpart to major. Adds depth and longing. Raise the third and the same family becomes major.

What songs use the Cm chord?

Songs that use Cm include Creep.

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