FMFretboardMentor
PL

Cm7 Chord on Guitar

Cm7 is the C minor 7th chord — 4 notes (C, E♭, G, B♭) built from the formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7. Below are playable shapes across the fretboard, the keys it belongs to and the scales to use when soloing over it.

Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭Formula: 1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7Hear it and see it on the fretboard ▸

Cm7: Chord shapes (open & barre)

  • Cm7 – fret 1×R♭3♭7R5fret 1
  • Cm7 – fret 3×R5♭7♭35fret 3
  • Cm7 – fret 88R5♭7♭35Rfret 8
  • Cm7 – fret 1010××R5♭7♭3fret 10
  • Cm7 – fret 1313×R♭3♭7R5fret 13

Cm7: Drop 2 voicings

  • Cm7 – bass: 55R♭3♭7××bass: 5
  • Cm7 – bass: 58×5R♭3♭7×bass: 5
  • Cm7 – bass: 54××5R♭3♭7bass: 5
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭75♭7♭35R××bass: ♭7
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭712×♭7♭35R×bass: ♭7
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭78××♭7♭35Rbass: ♭7
  • Cm7 – bass: R8R5♭7♭3××bass: R
  • Cm7 – bass: R×R5♭7♭3×bass: R
  • Cm7 – bass: R10××R5♭7♭3bass: R
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭310♭3♭7R5××bass: ♭3
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭35×♭3♭7R5×bass: ♭3
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭3××♭3♭7R5bass: ♭3

Cm7: Drop 3 voicings

  • Cm7 – bass: ♭310♭3×R5♭7×bass: ♭3
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭35×♭3×R5♭7bass: ♭3
  • Cm7 – bass: 55×♭3♭7R×bass: 5
  • Cm7 – bass: 58×5×♭3♭7Rbass: 5
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭74♭7×5R♭3×bass: ♭7
  • Cm7 – bass: ♭711×♭7×5R♭3bass: ♭7
  • Cm7 – bass: R8R×♭7♭35×bass: R
  • Cm7 – bass: R×R×♭7♭35bass: R

Cm7: Shell voicings (jazz)

  • Cm7 – R-3-76R♭3♭7×××R-3-7
  • Cm7 – R-3-7×R♭3♭7××R-3-7
  • Cm7 – R-7-38R×♭7♭3××R-7-3
  • Cm7 – R-7-3×R×♭7♭3×R-7-3

Keys that contain Cm7

Scales to play over Cm7

Ordered from the most common choice. All of them contain C, E♭, G, B♭.

Other C chords

Triads

Sevenths

Sixths

Added

Extended

Minor 7th chords in other keys

FAQ

What notes are in the Cm7 chord?
Cm7 (C minor 7th) contains C, E♭, G, B♭ — formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7.
How do you play Cm7 on guitar?
A common shape is x31313 (low E to high E, x = muted string, around fret 1). This page shows more shapes, drop 2, drop 3 and shell voicings in the interactive library.
What scale goes with Cm7?
Good choices to solo over Cm7: C Dorian, C Aeolian (Minor), C Minor pentatonic.
What key is Cm7 in?
Cm7 is diatonic in E♭ major (vi7), A♭ major (iii7), B♭ major (ii7), C minor (i7), F minor (v7), G minor (iv7).