Cm guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a · Classic Ascending (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The thumb plays C on the 5th and the three top strings add up to 3 different notes. All 6 arpeggios
Steady bass with uniform ascending movement.
The notes of Cm are C, Eb and G. C is the root, Eb the minor third and G the fifth. Said aloud, its notes are C, E flat and G.
String by string, low to high, it plays C, G, C, Eb and G. C rings twice across the five strings, and it is the root. It runs from C on string 5 up to G on string 1.
The main Cm shape needs a barre at fret 3 across five strings. String 6 stays silent. Your hand covers three frets, from 3 to 5. This page has three positions. The others start at frets 8 and 10.
Change only string 3 in Cm and you have Cm7. Cm and Eb have Eb and G in common. Gm shares two positions with this shape.
Cm belongs to five keys. In Eb major it is the vi, in Bb major the ii and in Ab major the iii. The rest appear in the key list. Further down there is a song that uses it.
C 1Eb ♭3G 5
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 3 (C)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 3. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 5, 3rd String (G) at fret 5, 2nd String (B) at fret 4. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Barre fret 8. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 10, 4th String (D) at fret 10.
Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 10 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 12 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 13 with your Pinky finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 11 with your Middle finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 5th String (A).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 3 to 5 |
| Barre | fret 3, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 4 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 3, only the barre sounds the 5th and 1st strings.
Listen: Cm → Gm · Ab · G
Cm sits in the scale of 5 keys.
Well-known songs where this chord plays a clear role
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Cm chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.
The primary bass note of the Cm chord is its root note: C. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 3.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Cm chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 formula (Minor Triad). Its constituent pitches are C, Eb, G.
To prevent fret buzz on the Cm barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
"Eye of the Tiger" (Survivor, 1982). Part of the main riff (Cm).
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