Minor chord
The minor triad: a minor third and a perfect fifth above the root. It sounds darker and more inward than major, and it anchors minor keys. Spelled in all twelve keys, with guitar shapes and piano diagrams.
On C
- Symbol
- Cm
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5
- Notes
- 3
- Also written
- Cmin · C-
What it sounds like
A minor triad stacks a minor third, three semitones, beneath a major third, four semitones. The only difference from a major triad is that the third is lowered by one semitone, and that single move darkens the chord. The perfect fifth is unchanged, so the chord keeps a stable frame. Its colour is darker and more inward, and listeners often hear it as serious or sad. That association depends on tempo, register and context, so the sound is a tendency rather than a fixed emotion.
How it is used
In major keys the minor triad sits on degrees 2, 3 and 6, the chords written ii, iii and vi. In minor keys the tonic i is minor, and iv is minor as well. The dominant is minor in natural minor but major in harmonic minor, where the raised leading tone makes V. The plagal cadence, iv to i, closes many minor-key pieces. The vi chord is one of the most frequent chords in pop songs written in major keys.
How it is built
A minor triad is a root with a minor third and a perfect fifth, 0, 3 and 7 semitones above the root. Common symbols are Cm, C-, Cmin and Cmi, and the lowercase m is the standard form in lead sheets. The first inversion is Cm/E♭, with E♭ in the bass, and the second is Cm/G, written 6/4 in figured bass. C minor shares two notes, E♭ and G, with its relative major, E♭ major.
How to practise it
Play C minor and then C major, changing only the middle note by a semitone, and listen to how little movement changes the mood. Next play i, iv, i in a minor key, then add the dominant as a major chord to hear the raised leading tone at work. Last, play the plagal cadence iv to i in A, D and E minor, and check each chord's third by ear before you play it.
Minor chord in every key
Every chord is spelled by letter name. Click a symbol for its page, with inversions and guitar shapes.
| Chord | Notes | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Cm | C E♭ G | |
| C♯m | C♯ E G♯ | |
| D♭m | D♭ F♭ A♭ | |
| Dm | D F A | |
| E♭m | E♭ G♭ B♭ | |
| Em | E G B | |
| Fm | F A♭ C | |
| F♯m | F♯ A C♯ | |
| Gm | G B♭ D | |
| G♯m | G♯ B D♯ | |
| A♭m | A♭ C♭ E♭ | |
| Am | A C E | |
| B♭m | B♭ D♭ F | |
| Bm | B D F♯ |
Further reading
- Triads and Inversions: Root Position, Sixth, Six-FourHarmony · 6 min
- Chord Symbols Explained: Major, Minor, Seventh and Slash ChordsHarmony · 8 min
- Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys ExplainedHarmony · 7 min
Questions
What is the difference between Cm and C?
Cm is C minor, with the notes C, E♭ and G. C is C major, with C, E and G. The only difference is the third, which sits three semitones above the root in Cm and four in C. The root and fifth are the same, so the two chords share two of their three notes.
What is the relative major of C minor?
The relative major of C minor is E♭ major, whose root is a minor third higher. E♭ major has the notes E♭, G and B♭, and it shares E♭ and G with Cm. Both use the same key signature of three flats, which is why the two triads sit well together.
What is the difference between a minor triad and a minor seventh chord?
A minor triad has a root, a minor third and a perfect fifth. A minor seventh chord adds a minor seventh, ten semitones above the root. Cm7 is C, E♭, G and B♭. The seventh is a dissonance that wants to fall by step, so Cm7 sounds less settled than the plain triad.