C minor chordCm

Built from

• Croot
• E♭minor 3rd
• G5th

Lowering the 3rd by one fret is the only difference from major, and it changes the whole mood.

Hear it in a progression

• Epic minor

  Film scores and stadium anthems. In C minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Cmi
  2. A♭VI
  3. E♭III
  4. B♭VII

• Minor cadence

  Dark, then a strong pull home. In C minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Cmi
  2. Fmiv
  3. G7V7
  4. Cmi

• Andalusian cadence

  Flamenco and surf rock, stepping down. In C minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Cmi
  2. B♭VII
  3. A♭VI
  4. GV

Where it goes next

Thinking in C minor, where it is the i chord.

• A♭

  VI. Opens up into something bittersweet.

• Fm

  iv. Goes darker still.

• B♭

  VII. Steps down: a rock and folk staple.

• E♭

  III. Brightens into the relative major.

Sounds close

• A♭maj7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have C, E♭ and G.

• E♭

  Its relative major: same key, brighter. Both have E♭ and G.

• A♭

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have C and E♭.

• E♭7

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have E♭ and G.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• C minor
• C minor pentatonic
• C blues
• C dorian
• C phrygian
• C harmonic minor

Keys it lives in

• C minoras i
• F minoras v
• G minoras iv
• E♭ majoras vi
• B♭ majoras ii
• A♭ majoras iii