C Minor Guitar Chord (Cm)
Cm is the minor side of the horn keys. Soul ballads hit it constantly. The working grip is x35543, the Am shape barred at the third fret.
Cm goes black olive.
Cm chord shapes in standard tuning
How to play it
Lay your index finger flat across the top 5 strings (from the A (5th) string up) at fret 3. That barre is the backbone of this Cm shape. Then add your middle finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 4, your ring finger on the D (4th) string at fret 5, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 5. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum. Start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.
Notes in this chord
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | C |
| ♭3 | minor third | E♭ |
| 5 | perfect fifth | G |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see Cm in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More C chords
Nearby minor chords
Cm FAQ
What notes are in Cm?
Cm contains C, E♭, and G. That's the root (C), the minor third, and the perfect fifth.
Is Cm a barre chord?
The most common Cm shape (x-3-5-5-4-3) is a barre chord. Your index finger bars fret 3 across 5 strings. There is no standard open-position shape for this chord in standard tuning, but the diagrams above include every practical alternative up the neck.
What is the easiest way to play Cm on guitar?
Start with the barre · 3fr shape x-3-5-5-4-3. Lay your index finger flat across the top 5 strings (from the A (5th) string up) at fret 3. That barre is the backbone of this Cm shape. Then add your middle finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 4, your ring finger on the D (4th) string at fret 5, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 5. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum. Start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.