C minor seventh (Cm7) chord on guitar

Minor seventh chord (a minor triad plus a minor seventh) on C: the notes of the Cm7 chord are C – E♭ – G – B♭.

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

Position 1medium

A shape, fret 3medium

Position 6medium

E shape, fret 8medium

D shape, fret 10medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the Cm7 chord sounds like

A minor seventh chord is softer than a plain minor chord – the minor seventh fills out the sound. In jazz it is the ii of the ii–V–I, in pop and soul a common colour chord.

Notes of the Cm7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C	root
3	E♭	minor third (3 semitones)
5	G	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	B♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version

String 1 (e): fret 6, ring finger (B♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, index finger (E♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, middle finger (C4)
String 4 (D): not played
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

Position 1

String 1 (e): not played
String 2 (B): fret 1, middle finger (C4)
String 3 (G): fret 3, little finger (B♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 1, index finger (E♭3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, ring finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

A shape, fret 3, barre at fret 3

String 1 (e): fret 3, index finger (G4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, middle finger (E♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 3, index finger (B♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 5, ring finger (G3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, index finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 3; your other fingers press the higher frets.

The “C, A, G, E and D shapes” are the CAGED system: you slide the shape of the open C, A, G, E or D chord up the neck and your index finger (a barre) takes over the job of the nut. That way the same chord can be played in five places, anywhere on the fretboard.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Playing Cm7 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a Cm7 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 3
shape: Am7

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The Cm7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

C minor: i7 (tonic)
F minor: v7 (dominant)
G minor: iv7 (subdominant)
A♭ major: iii7
E♭ major: vi7
B♭ major: ii7

Similar chords and substitutes

If Cm7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

E♭maj7 – relative major seventh: three shared notes
F7 – in a ii–V, this is the dominant that follows

Same notes

E♭6 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

Cm – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
C5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

Cm9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Cm7 chord?

C, E♭, G, B♭. The root is C; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.

What is the easiest way to play Cm7 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 6 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a Am7 shape at fret 3.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some Cm7 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 4-note chord. The fifth (G) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

How is the Cm7 chord written?

The chord symbol is Cm7, and its full name is C minor seventh.