Chords in the Key of C minor
C minor has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Its seven chords are Cm, D°, E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭, and the major G (from the harmonic minor) is often used as the V chord. The relative major is E♭ major.
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C minor scale
C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭. Key signature: 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).
All chords in C minor
| Degree | Triad | Notes | 7th chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | C – E♭ – G | Cm7 | C – E♭ – G – B♭ | tonic (home) |
| ii° | D° | D – F – A♭ | Dm7♭5 | D – F – A♭ – C | subdominant |
| III | E♭ | E♭ – G – B♭ | E♭maj7 | E♭ – G – B♭ – D | relative major |
| iv | Fm | F – A♭ – C | Fm7 | F – A♭ – C – E♭ | subdominant |
| v | Gm | G – B♭ – D | Gm7 | G – B♭ – D – F | dominant (minor) |
| VI | A♭ | A♭ – C – E♭ | A♭maj7 | A♭ – C – E♭ – G | submediant |
| VII | B♭ | B♭ – D – F | B♭7 | B♭ – D – F – A♭ | subtonic |
In minor keys the v chord (Gm) is often replaced by a major V (G: G – B – D). It borrows the raised 7th (B) from the harmonic minor scale and pulls strongly back to Cm.
Common chord progressions in C minor
| Numerals | Chords in C minor |
|---|---|
| i – VI – III – VII | Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭ |
| i – VII – VI – VII | Cm – B♭ – A♭ – B♭ |
| i – iv – VI – V | Cm – Fm – A♭ – G |
| i – iv – v – i | Cm – Fm – Gm – Cm |
Play them in the circle above, or get progressions from real songs in the chord progressions by genre tool.
Related keys
- Relative major: E♭ major (same notes, different home chord).
- Parallel major: C major (same root; borrow chords from it for colour).
- Neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths: F minor and G minor, one accidental away, for smooth key changes.
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Quick answers
What chords are in the key of C minor?
The chords in C minor are Cm, D°, E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭, plus G as a major V chord. As 7th chords: Cm7, Dm7♭5, E♭maj7, Fm7, Gm7, A♭maj7, B♭7.
How many flats are in C minor?
C minor has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).
What is the relative major of C minor?
E♭ major. Both keys use the same notes and key signature (3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭)).
What is the v chord in C minor?
The natural v chord is Gm (G – B♭ – D); most songs use the major V, G (G – B – D).