C minor Piano Chord - Charts, Harmony and Music Theory (2025)

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Piano Diagram of C min in Root Position

The C minor chord is the minor triad built upon the C key. It is built by combining the Root note (C), the minor 3rd (Eb), and the 5th (G) notes from the C minor scale.

C minor Chord Inversions

The C minor chord has a total of 2 inversions:

Piano Keyboard Diagrams

Music Theory and Harmony of C minor

What are Minor Chords?

Minor chords are one of the two most important types of chords in music, along with the major chord. Minor chords are triads that have a slightly different sound from major chords. They have a darker and more melancholic sound compared to major chords, which have a brighter and more uplifting sound. The difference lies in the 3rd note of the chord – minor chords use a minor 3rd while major chords use a major 3rd.

Despite their darker sound, minor chords are still considered stable and consonant chords. This means that they do not create a sense of tension or dissonance that requires resolution, unlike some other types of chords such as dominant 7th chords or diminished chords.

Building the C minor Chord: Different Approaches

Starting from the C Major Scale

A minor chord is made up of three notes: Root, minor 3rd, and 5th of a minor scale.

However, for educational purposes, it may be clearer to demonstrate its construction using a major scale, as it better illustrates the relationship between intervals and their qualities.

For example, if you want to build a C minor chord, you can begin with the C major scale.

To build a minor chord, you can apply the formula R, m3, 5 using these step-by-step instructions:

1. Begin with the Root note, C.
2. To select the minor 3rd interval of a note, you need to count three half steps up from that note. Alternatively, you could find the 3rd note on the major scale (which for C would be E) and then lower it down by a half step to arrive at the note Eb, which is the minor 3rd interval of C.
3. Finally, add the 5th interval, which is G.

This formula can be applied to any major scale to create a minor chord with a different root note.

by Combining Intervals

A minor chord is created by combining two specific intervals: a minor 3rd and a major 3rd.

m3 + 3 = minor Chord

To form a C minor chord, begin with the root note C and add a minor 3rd interval. This interval consists of three half-steps, so count up three half-steps from the root note C to find the note Eb.

Next, add a major 3rd interval to the note Eb. This interval consists of four half-steps, so count up four half-steps from the note Eb to find the note G.

These three notes – C, Eb, and G – together create the C minor chord. So, the C minor chord is made up of a minor 3rd interval between C and Eb, and a major 3rd interval between Eb and G.

It’s worth noting that this method is not the easiest way to create a minor chord, but it’s a commonly used approach.

How to Use C min in a Chord Progression

Harmonic functions are fundamental concepts in music theory that describe the roles played by chords within a specific key and context. In Western music, there are seven primary harmonic functions, which correspond to the notes of the diatonic scale. The most important functions are the tonic, dominant, and subdominant, with major chords denoted by capitalized Roman numerals and minor chords by lowercase ones.

To gain a better understanding of the harmonizations of C min in various scales, the tables below show the natural minor scales and their corresponding relative major scales for all keys that include a C minor chord in different scale degrees. These tables offer a helpful guide to understanding how chords function harmonically and relate to one another in different keys.

on Natural minor Scales

• Tonic chord in C minor
• Subdominant chord in G minor
• Dominant chord in F minor

on Major Scales

• Supertonic chord in Bb Major
• Mediant chord in Ab Major
• Submediant chord in Eb Major

C minor Chord Function in Major and Minor Keys

Understanding Scale Degrees

When we create chords from a scale, each note in the scale is given a specific degree that reflects its position in the scale. In the diatonic scales, there are seven degrees, and each degree plays a unique role in the overall harmony of the scale.

1. The Tonic, also known as the I degree, establishes the fundamental tonal center of the scale and serves as a stable foundation for the melody or harmony.
2. The Supertonic, or II degree, acts as a passing note between the tonic and other scale degrees.
3. The Mediant, positioned halfway between the tonic and dominant, helps establish whether the scale is major or minor and provides a sense of harmonic balance.
4. The Subdominant, or IV degree, serves as a complementary harmony to the dominant.
5. The Dominant, or V degree, generates tension and creates a sense of expectation.
6. The Submediant, or VI degree, acts as a transitional point between the dominant and tonic.
7. Finally, the Leading tone, or VII degree, located one half step below the tonic, creates a strong sense of tension and a desire to resolve to the tonic.

C min in C Minor

As the tonic chord in the C minor scale, the C minor chord provides a stable and foundational harmonic center for chord progressions. This chord serves as the “home base” of the entire harmony.

C minor chord Progressions as i degree

The following chord progressions are examples of how the C minor chord can serve as the tonic chord (i degree) in two different chord progressions.

i VI VII

i III VII VI

C min in G Minor

The C minor chord can also appear as the subdominant chord in the key of G minor. Specifically, it can be found on the fourth degree of the G minor scale.

C minor Chord Progressions as iv degree

The following chord progressions feature the C minor chord as the subdominant (iv degree):

i iv III VII

i iv VI v

C min in F Minor

The C minor chord can also appear as the dominant chord in the F minor scale. Specifically, it can be found on the fifth degree of the scale.

C minor as v degree – Chord Progressions

If you want to hear how the C minor chord sounds as the dominant (V) chord in the F minor scale, try playing the following chord progressions.

i iv VI v

i v VI VII

i VI v iv

C min in Bb Major

In addition to its positions in natural minor scales, the C minor chord can also be found in major keys. For example, in the key of Bb major, the C minor chord serves as the supertonic chord, found on the second degree of the scale. A supertonic minor chord creates a sense of anticipation or expectation, as it usually leads to the dominant or subdominant chords.

C minor chord Progressions as ii degree

Try playing the following chord progressions to better understand how the C minor chord functions as the supertonic (ii) chord in the key of Bb major.

ii V I

I IV ii V iii vi ii V

C min in Ab Major

The C minor chord can serve as the mediant (iii) chord in the key of Ab major, which means it can be found on the third degree of the Ab major scale. The mediant minor chord is often used as a moment of temporary tonal ambiguity or a departure from the established tonality before returning to the tonic chord.

C minor chord Progressions as iii degree

To better understand how the C minor chord serves as the mediant (iii) in the Ab major scale, you can try playing the following chord progressions.

I iii IV V

I iii ii V

I iii vi V

C min in Eb Major

The C minor chord can be found on the sixth degree of the Eb major scale, serving as the submediant chord. The submediant chord is often characterized by a sense of relaxation and stability in a chord progression.

C minor as vi degree – Chord Progressions

You can explore the sound of C minor as the submediant chord in the key of Eb major by playing the following chord progressions:

I iii vi V

I vi ii V

I IV ii V iii vi ii V

Alternative Names for C minor

• C-
• Do-
• Cm
• Do m
• C min
• C-moll
• Do min
• C minor