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C Minor (Cm) Chord Guitar

The A-minor shape barred at the 3rd fret — dark and entirely moveable.

The open A minor shape barred at the 3rd fret, rooted on the A string.
Every note is fretted, so it sounds tighter and darker than open minor chords.
It has no open-position shape — barre technique is the only way in.
The signature C → Cm drop in "Creep", and the iv chord in G minor.

Root3rd5th

Index finger barres at the 3rd fret (A-shape moved up)

Not played

E6th string

FretMuted

Finger—

Root

ABass5th string

Fret3

Finger1 index

5th

D4th string

Fret5

Finger3 ring

Root

G3rd string

Fret5

Finger4 pinky

3rd

B2nd string

Fret4

Finger2 middle

5th

e1st string

Fret3

Finger1 index

NotesC – G – D#

Formula1 – ♭3 – 5

Voicingx35543

TonesC×2·D#×1·G×2

Hear It For Yourself

This chord sounds even better than it looks.

Load C Minor (Cm) onto an interactive fretboard, hear every note, and build it into a progression.

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Questions about C Minor (Cm)

What notes are in a C Minor (Cm) chord?

A C Minor (Cm) chord contains the notes C, G, D#. It is built from the minor formula 1 - ♭3 - 5, with C as the root.

Why does the change from C to Cm sound so striking?

Because only one note moves: the major third (E) drops a half-step to the minor third (E♭). That single semitone flips the chord from bright to melancholy while everything around it stays put — the most economical way to darken a progression, and exactly the move "Creep" is built on.

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