Sowlea

Cm chord on guitar: fingering and notes

Cm is a minor chord made of C, E♭ and G. This shape uses 5 strings, with the index finger barring fret 3.

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Read the diagram as if the guitar stands in front of you: thickest string on the left, the nut at the top. Numbers are fingers (1 index … 4 little), ○ means play the string open, × means don’t play it.

Where each finger goes

  1. Lay your index finger flat across strings 5–1 at fret 3, close to the fret wire.
  2. Ring finger on string 4 (D), fret 5.
  3. Little finger on string 3 (G), fret 5.
  4. Middle finger on string 2 (B), fret 4.
  5. Don’t play string 6 (low E): start your strum on string 5 (A).

Notes in the chord

Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5

StringFretNoteInterval
string 5 (A)3Croot
string 4 (D)5Gperfect fifth
string 3 (G)5Croot
string 2 (B)4E♭minor third
string 1 (high E)3Gperfect fifth

Check that every string rings

  1. Pick the strings one at a time from string 5 (A) to string 1. Every note should ring for about a second without buzzing or going dull.
  2. A dull or muted note usually means a fingertip is leaning on the next string: arch the finger so only the tip touches.
  3. A buzzing note usually means the finger is too far from the fret wire: slide it closer without pressing harder.
  4. For the barre, roll the index finger slightly onto its bony side and keep the thumb behind the neck; press only as hard as needed for the barred strings to ring.
  5. Strings you don’t play should stay silent: aim the strum, or touch them lightly with a free finger.

Practise: change between Cm and Gm

  1. Set the metronome to 60 BPM in 4/4 (the button below applies these settings).
  2. Strum Cm once on beat 1 and let it ring through beats 2, 3 and 4.
  3. During beat 4, lift your fingers and move to Gm so it sounds exactly on the next beat 1.
  4. Keep alternating Cm and Gm for eight bars. When three changes in a row land on the beat with every string ringing, raise the tempo by 5 BPM.

What to listen for: the new chord starts on the click of beat 1, not after it, and no string goes silent during the change.

Practise at 60 BPM

Where this chord is used

  • In B♭ major it is the ii chord.
  • In E♭ major it is the vi chord.
  • In A♭ major it is the iii chord.
  • In G minor it is the iv chord.
  • In C minor it is the i chord.
  • In F minor it is the v chord.

Further reading

Fingerings and explanations by Sowlea. Each shape is checked automatically: the notes it sounds in standard tuning must be exactly the notes of the chord.