C Minor 7th
3rd FretThe standard Cm7 — Am7-shape barre at the 3rd fret. Barre fret 3 with the index finger; ring on D fret 5, middle on B fret 4. The most widely used Cm7 voicing.
C Minor 7th
8th FretEm7-shape barre at the 8th fret. Barre across all six strings at fret 8 with the index, then ring on A fret 10. A full, resonant Cm7 voicing with the root on the low E string.
C Minor 7th
10th FretA compact 4-string voicing with the root on the D string at fret 10. Index on D fret 10 (root), ring on G fret 12 (5th), middle on B fret 11 (minor 7th), pinky on high e fret 11 (minor 3rd). Strum the top four strings only.
C Minor 7th
4th FretRooted three-note voicing on the top strings — root on G fret 5, minor 3rd on B fret 4, minor 7th on high e fret 6. Three fingers, no barre. Includes the root for a clear minor sound — a beginner-friendly rooted Cm7 voicing.
C Minor 7th
15th FretAm7-shape barre at the 15th fret — Cm7 one octave above the 3rd-fret shape. Bright and cutting for high-register chord work and chord-melody passages.
Tips for Playing the Cm7 Chord
Start with the Am7-shape barre
The x-3-5-3-4-3 shape at fret 3 is the standard Cm7. It is fully moveable — slide it up or down to play any minor 7th chord on the A string root.
Roll the barre finger
For the 3rd-fret barre, tilt your index finger slightly so the bony outer edge presses the strings rather than the soft pad. This improves clarity on the inner strings.
Mute the low E
The Am7-shape barre is rooted on the A string. Let the tip of your index finger lightly touch the low E to mute it as you strum.
Use the top-string voicing for speed
The x-x-x-3-4-3 shape on G, B, and high e is the fastest Cm7. Use it for quick comping when full barres slow you down.
Cm7 in the ii–V–I
Cm7 → F7 → B♭maj7 is the classic ii–V–I in B♭ major and one of the most-used progressions in jazz. Practise this cycle through all twelve keys.
Use it instead of Cm
Cm7 sounds great as a substitute for Cm in soul, R&B, neo-soul, and bossa nova. Try it anywhere a plain Cm feels too dark.
About the Cm7 Chord on Guitar
The Cm7 chord is built from four notes: C (the root), E♭ (the minor 3rd), G (the perfect 5th), and B♭ (the minor 7th). It is the C minor triad with an added flat 7th, giving the chord a smooth, mellow, slightly melancholy character. Cm7 is one of the most-used chords in jazz, soul, R&B, neo-soul, funk, and bossa nova — it most commonly functions as the ii chord in a ii–V–I progression in B♭ major, but it also serves as the i chord in C minor and the vi chord in E♭ major. This page covers five voicings, from the standard Am7-shape barre at the 3rd fret to a high-register barre an octave up. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Cm7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Am7-shape barre, Em7-shape barre, 4-string voicing, compact triad, and high barre
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the C Minor 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every minor 7th chord follows this same formula — root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.