Piano chords · Minor 7th chord

Cm7 piano chord (C minor seventh)

Cm7 is a minor seventh chord with 4 notes. It sounds mellow and smooth. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.

CE♭GB♭

C – E♭ – G – B♭ · tap any key to hear it

The notes of Cm7

Cm7 is built from 4 notes (1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7):

C, the root
E♭, the minor third
G, the fifth
B♭, the minor seventh

E♭ and B♭ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching.

Fingering

Right hand: 1 on C, 2 on E♭, 3 on G, 5 on B♭.
Left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E♭, 2 on G, 1 on B♭.

Press every key at exactly the same moment, with the same weight. If one note sounds louder or a fraction late, the chord sounds uneven: play it slowly and listen for one sound.

Inversions

An inversion is the same notes in a different order, with a different note at the bottom. Inversions let you move between chords without jumping around the keyboard.

Position	Notes, bottom to top
Root position	C – E♭ – G – B♭
1st inversion	E♭ – G – B♭ – C
2nd inversion	G – B♭ – C – E♭
3rd inversion	B♭ – C – E♭ – G

Where Cm7 belongs

Cm7 is the ii7 chord in B♭ major, the iii7 chord in A♭ major and the vi7 chord in E♭ major.

Cm7 is Cm with a minor seventh, B♭, added on top, which softens it from sad to smooth.

Hear it in a progression

Cm7 – F7 – B♭maj7: ii – V – I in B♭ major, the backbone of jazz.

Playing it, but it doesn't sound right? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a chord that's uneven. Then it shows you how it should go.

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Questions people ask

What notes are in the Cm7 chord?

Cm7 (C minor seventh) is made of C, E♭, G and B♭: the root, minor third, fifth and minor seventh.

How do you play Cm7 on piano?

With your right hand, use fingers 1 on C, 2 on E♭, 3 on G, 5 on B♭, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E♭, 2 on G, 1 on B♭.

How is Cm7 different from the plain chord?