Cm7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)
From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios
Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.
The notes of Cm7 are C, Eb, G and Bb. C is the root, Eb the minor third, G the fifth and Bb the minor seventh. Said aloud, its notes are C, E flat, G and B flat.
From the low string to the high one you hear C, G, Bb, Eb and G. The note heard most is G, twice. It is not the root but the fifth. The lowest note is C on string 5 and the highest is G on string 1.
For Cm7, your index finger barres fret 3. Avoid string 6. Everything fits between frets 3 and 5. Besides the main one there are two more shapes, at frets 3 and 8.
Cm is one change away. String 3 moves from fret 3 to fret 5, bringing in C, the root of Cm. Cm7 holds the whole Eb chord inside it, Eb, G and Bb. Going to Gm, three positions stay the same.
You will find Cm7 in five different 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.
C 1Eb ♭3G 5Bb ♭7
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, 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.
Placement tip: Barre fret 3. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 5 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 4 with your Middle finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 1st String (High E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 3 to 5 |
| Barre | fret 3, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 3, only the barre sounds the 5th, 3rd, and 1st strings.
Listen: Cm7 → Cm · Gm · G
Cm7 sits in the scale of 5 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Cm7 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 Cm7 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 Cm7 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Minor Seventh). Its constituent pitches are C, Eb, G, Bb.
To prevent fret buzz on the Cm7 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.
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