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).
- Little finger on the 5th fret of the G string (3rd).
- 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 5 | little | C4 | root |
| 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 Cm
The same 3 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.
- x31043An open-position shape · four fingers
- 8-10-10-8-8-8A barre at the 8th fret and two more fingers
- 86558xA barre at the 5th fret and three more fingers
If the usual shape is too hard for now
x3101x is Cm without the full barre — fewer strings, the same chord. It is a real voicing, not a cheat, and plenty of players keep using it.
Or use a capo: clamp it at the 3rd fret and play the Am shape. Every string is raised 3 semitones, so that open shape now sounds Cm.
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 Cm
A minor chord is built from the root (1), ♭3 and 5 of its root’s major scale. From C that gives C – E♭ – G. The major chord with its middle note lowered a semitone: darker, and just as stable.
The same root, other chords: C major, C7, Cmaj7, Cm7, Csus2, Csus4, Cdim, Caug.
Keys that use Cm
Cm is built from the notes of 6 keys. Each link is that key’s full set of guitar chords — the ones that sound right next to this one.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Cm chord?
C minor is three notes: C – E♭ – G — the root, ♭3 and 5 of the C major scale. On guitar the shape x35543 sounds C3, G3, C4, E♭4 and G4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play Cm on guitar?
The usual shape is x35543 — a barre chord at the 3rd fret, with a barre at the 3rd fret and three more fingers. If that is out of reach for now, x3101x is the same chord without the full barre. Or put a capo on the 3rd fret and play the Am shape, which then sounds Cm.
What is the difference between Cm and C?
One note. Cm has a minor third (E♭); C raises it a semitone. That single fret is the whole difference between the two sounds.
What keys is Cm in?
Cm is one of the seven chords of E♭ major (as vi), A♭ major (as iii), B♭ major (as ii), C minor (as i), F minor (as v) and G minor (as iv).