Tools / Chords / C minor 7th

C minor 7th chord on bass (Cm7)

Also written Cm7 or Cmin7

C minor 7th contains C, E♭, G, and B♭. The 8th-fret shape demands a pinky stretch to the 10th fret, making it a challenging bass chord.

8th fret8-10-8-8

Positions on the neck1 of 4

How it’s built

C1Root

E♭♭3Minor 3rd

G5Perfect 5th

B♭♭7Minor 7th

Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7

Positions on the neck1 of 4

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionC–E♭–G–B♭Cm7Bass C

First inversionE♭–G–B♭–CCm7/E♭Bass E♭

Second inversionG–B♭–C–E♭Cm7/GBass G

Third inversionB♭–C–E♭–GCm7/B♭Bass B♭

Why it sounds like that

C minor 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The minor 7th interval from C to B♭ gives the chord its mellow, jazzy quality. Compare it with C minor, which lacks the B♭.

What goes wrong with C minor 7th?

Letting the pinky collapse and buzz the 3rd string.
Allowing the middle finger to touch the 1st string and mute the G.
Strumming before all fingers are firmly placed, causing a dead note.

When to use it

C minor 7th functions as the vi chord in E♭ major, appearing in progressions like E♭–B♭–Cm–A♭ (I–V–vi–IV). It suits jazz, blues, and slow rock, often paired with E♭ major and A♭ major.

Changing to and from C minor 7th

Sliding the shape down two frets to the 6th fret gives B♭ minor 7th.
From C minor 7th, move the pinky from the 10th fret to the 11th fret on the A string to form C♯ minor 7th.

Which voicing to use

Use the 8th-fret voicing for a root-position C minor 7th with a low C. The Cm7/G inversion at the 3rd fret places the fifth in the bass for a smoother sound, while the Cm7/B♭ inversion at the 6th fret puts the seventh in the bass for a descending line.

How do you play a C minor 7th chord on bass?

8th fret

Intermediate● On the diagram

C minor 7th is played at the 8th fret as 8 10 8 8: index finger on the E string at fret 8, pinky finger on the A string at fret 10, middle finger on the D string at fret 8 and ring finger on the G string at fret 8.

Tip — The pinky must reach the 10th fret on the A string while the other fingers hold the 8th fret, requiring a wide stretch and finger independence.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	8	1	C (1)
3 (A)	10	4	G (5)
2 (D)	8	2	B♭ (♭7)
1 (G)	8	3	E♭ (♭3)

Cm7/G inversion · fret 1

Intermediate

C minor 7th is played at the 1st fret as 3 3 1 3: middle finger on the E string at fret 3, ring finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the D string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 3.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	3	2	G (5)
3 (A)	3	3	C (1)
2 (D)	1	1	E♭ (♭3)
1 (G)	3	4	B♭ (♭7)

Cm7/G inversion · fret 13

Intermediate

C minor 7th is played at the 13th fret as 15 15 13 15: middle finger on the E string at fret 15, ring finger on the A string at fret 15, index finger on the D string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 15.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	15	2	G (5)
3 (A)	15	3	C (1)
2 (D)	13	1	E♭ (♭3)
1 (G)	15	4	B♭ (♭7)

Cm7/B♭ inversion

Barre

C minor 7th is played at the 5th fret as 6 6 5 5: barre your index finger across fret 5, middle finger on the E string at fret 6 and ring finger on the A string at fret 6.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	6	2	B♭ (♭7)
3 (A)	6	3	E♭ (♭3)
2 (D)	5	1 (barre)	G (5)
1 (G)	5	1 (barre)	C (1)

Common questions

How does C minor 7th differ from C minor?

C minor 7th adds the note B♭, a minor 7th above C, to the C minor triad. The added seventh creates a softer, more complex sound that pulls toward the sixth degree.

What is the best way to finger the 8th-fret shape?

Use the index finger on the 4th string, middle on the 2nd, ring on the 1st, and pinky on the 3rd string. Keep the thumb low on the neck to allow the pinky to reach the 10th fret without strain.

Can C minor 7th be played with open strings?

No, the root C is on the 8th fret of the E string, so all notes are fretted in the default voicing. An open-string voicing would require a different inversion, such as the Cm7/G shape at the 3rd fret.

Why is the Cm7/B♭ inversion useful?

The Cm7/B♭ inversion places the seventh, B♭, in the bass, creating a descending bass line when moving to A♭ major or G minor.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

C (1)

3 (A)

G (5)

2 (D)

B♭ (♭7)

1 (G)

E♭ (♭3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

G (5)

3 (A)

C (1)

2 (D)

E♭ (♭3)

1 (G)

B♭ (♭7)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

G (5)

3 (A)

C (1)

2 (D)

E♭ (♭3)

1 (G)

B♭ (♭7)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

B♭ (♭7)

3 (A)

E♭ (♭3)

2 (D)

1 (barre)

G (5)

1 (G)

1 (barre)

C (1)