Cm7 chord
The C minor seventh chord, written Cm7, has 4 notes: C, E♭, G and B♭. They are the root, minor third, perfect fifth and minor seventh above C (chord formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7).
- NotesC E♭ G B♭
- Chord symbolCm7, Cmin7, C-7
- Formula1 ♭3 5 ♭7
- Half steps3 + 4 + 3
Cm7 chord on the piano
Play C, E♭, G and B♭ together. In root position C is at the bottom; the next note is 3 half steps higher, and the one after that 4 half steps above it. Press Play to hear the notes one at a time and then together.
Cm7 chord on the staff, with inversions
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts a different one at the bottom. The chord symbol after a slash names the bass note.
| Position | Notes, bottom to top | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | C E♭ G B♭ | Cm7 |
| First inversion | E♭ G B♭ C | Cm7/E♭ |
| Second inversion | G B♭ C E♭ | Cm7/G |
| Third inversion | B♭ C E♭ G | Cm7/B♭ |
Cm7 chord on guitar
Each diagram shows the six strings from the low E on the left to the high E on the right. A dot is a fretted note, o is an open string, × is a string you do not play, and a bar across the strings is a barre held with one finger.
What is a minor seventh chord?
A minor seventh chord has four notes: a root, a minor third, a perfect fifth and a minor seventh (10 half steps above the root). It is a minor chord with a lowered seventh added on top.
Mellow, relaxed and smooth. It is softer than a plain minor chord and has a cool, easygoing feel with little of the sadness of a minor triad.
Where you hear minor seventh chords
It is the ii, iii and vi chord of a major key when seventh chords are used, and the i chord of a minor key. The ii chord is the first step of the ii-V-I progression. It is used all over jazz, funk, soul, R&B and pop.
Tip: Build a minor chord, then add the note a whole step below the root's octave. On guitar, many players find it easier to hold than the plain minor chord.
Ways this chord type is written (shown for C): Cm7, Cmin7, C-7.
Which keys have the Cm7 chord?
Cm7 is built only from notes of these keys, so it appears in them naturally. The Roman numeral is its place in the key.
Check yourself
1. Which note is the third of the Cm7 chord?
Answer: E♭. Cm7 is built root, third, fifth (and more): C, E♭, G and B♭. The second note, E♭, is the third.
2. What is the bass note of Cm7/E♭?
Answer: E♭. A slash chord names its bass note after the slash. Cm7/E♭ is the first inversion, with E♭ at the bottom.
3. How many half steps are there from C up to E♭ in this chord?
Answer: 3. C to E♭ is a minor third, which is 3 half steps.
Other C chords
Minor Seventh chords in every key
See also: piano chord chart, chord inversions, chord progressions.