The Key of C minor
C minor is C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭.
Why this key
C minor is the relative minor of E♭ and one of the most-used minor keys in orchestral and film writing. On a guitar it needs barres throughout, so guitar-written songs in C minor are usually the product of a capo or a transposition rather than a first choice.
Every chord in C minor
Seven chords, built on each note of the scale in turn.
| Numeral | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | minor |
| ii° | Ddim | dim |
| ♭III | Eb | major |
| iv | Fm | minor |
| v | Gm | minor |
| ♭VI | Ab | major |
| ♭VII | Bb | major |
The scale, on the neck
C natural minor — C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭.
C Natural Minor (Aeolian)
the plain minor scaleNotesCDE♭FGA♭B♭
Chord-Scale Reference §3 / §7.4
Want more?
Hear these chords, change the key, and see every voicing in Turnaround