The C Minor chord is a three-note chord made up of C, E♭, and G. It is built from a root, minor third, and perfect fifth.
Construction
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| C | Root | 1 |
| E♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| G | Perfect 5th | 5 |
How to Play the C Minor
Right Hand (RH)
Place your right hand over the keys with the thumb on the root. Use the fingering: 1 – 3 – 5
Left Hand (LH)
For the left hand, start with your pinky on the root. Use the fingering: 5 – 3 – 1
C Minor Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | C – E♭ – G |
| 1st Inversion | E♭ – G – C |
| 2nd Inversion | G – C – E♭ |
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C Minor is the tonic (i) chord of C Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, Eb Major — 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of C Minor
These are the triads built on each degree of the C minor scale:
How C Minor functions in a key
The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where C Minor sits diatonically across the common keys:
- In E♭ major, C Minor is the vi chord — the tonic.
- In C minor, C Minor is the i chord — the tonic.
- In B♭ major, C Minor is the ii chord — a predominant.
- In G minor, C Minor is the iv chord — a predominant.
- In A♭ major, C Minor is the iii chord — a mediant / color chord.
- In F minor, C Minor is the v chord.
Common C Minor Progressions
Pick a progression and press play. Change the key to hear it anywhere — every chord is built from the same theory as the chord pages, so the notes always agree.
The epic minor loop — cinematic and driving, heard across pop, rock and film scores.