Read left to right, 6th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string, x is a string you do not play.
- Index finger flat across the top 5 strings, from the A string up at the 3rd fret — the barre.
- Middle finger on the 4th fret of the B string (2nd).
- Ring finger on the 5th fret of the D string (4th).
- Do not play the low E string: start the strum from the A string.
String by string
What each string does in this shape, and which note of the chord it sounds. This is what to listen for when you pluck them one at a time.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | In the chord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (low E) | not played | — | — | — |
| 5th (A) | fret 3 | index | C3 | root |
| 4th (D) | fret 5 | ring | G3 | fifth |
| 3rd (G) | fret 3 | index | B♭3 | flat seventh |
| 2nd (B) | fret 4 | middle | E♭4 | minor third |
| 1st (high E) | fret 3 | index | G4 | fifth |
One string at a time: a chord strummed into a microphone is several notes at once, and a single string is something the page can hear exactly. A string in tune but on the wrong fret, or deadened by the finger beside it, shows up here and not on a tuner. Tap a string to check it again.
3 other ways to play Cm7
The same 4 notes, somewhere else on the neck. A different shape puts a different note on top, so each one colours the chord slightly differently — and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- x31313A barre at the 1st fret and three more fingers
- 8-10-8-8-8-8A barre at the 8th fret and one more finger
- x-x-10-12-11-11A shape at the 10th fret · four fingers
If the usual shape is too hard for now
Or use a capo: clamp it at the 1st fret and play the Bm7 shape. Every string is raised 1 semitone, so that open shape now sounds Cm7.
Holding it cleanly
The barre is the hard part. Lay the index finger just behind the 3rd fret, roll it slightly onto its bony outer edge, and keep the thumb behind the neck opposite it. Pluck the barred strings one at a time: a buzz or a dead string means the finger is not flat there yet.
The lowest string is left out, because its open note is not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below it, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in Cm7
A minor seventh chord is built from the root (1), ♭3, 5 and ♭7 of its root’s major scale. From C that gives C – E♭ – G – B♭. A minor chord with a flattened seventh: mellow rather than sad, and the usual ii chord of a major key.
The same root, other chords: C major, Cm, C7, Cmaj7, Csus2, Csus4, Cdim, Caug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Cm7 chord?
C minor seventh is four notes: C – E♭ – G – B♭ — the root, ♭3, 5 and ♭7 of the C major scale. On guitar the shape x35343 sounds C3, G3, B♭3, E♭4 and G4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play Cm7 on guitar?
The usual shape is x35343 — a barre chord at the 3rd fret, with a barre at the 3rd fret and two more fingers. Or put a capo on the 1st fret and play the Bm7 shape, which then sounds Cm7.
What is the difference between Cm7 and Cm?
Cm7 is Cm with one more note, a flattened seventh (B♭). It can nearly always stand in for Cm and sounds a little warmer and less final.