Cm7 guitar chord
The C minor 7th chord: every way to play it on the neck, the notes in it, and the scales that sound good over it.
What's in Cm7
- Notes
- C – E♭ – G – B♭
- Formula
- 1 – b3 – 5 – b7
- Name
- C minor 7th
Cm7C · E♭ · G · B♭
3 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- A shape · 3rd fret
- E shape · 8th fret
- D shape · 10th fret
What to play over Cm7
Start with the chord's own notes — C, E♭, G, B♭ — and land on them on the strong beats. Then reach for a scale; which one depends on the chord's job in the song.
- C Dorian mode
The usual choice over m7, especially a ii7 in a ii–V–I.
- C minor pentatonic scale
The safe start — it holds all four notes of the chord.
- C natural minor scale
The natural minor, when the chord is the home chord (i7).
Questions
What notes are in a Cm7 chord?
Cm7 has 4 notes: C, E♭, G, B♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – b3 – 5 – b7.
What scale goes with Cm7?
C Dorian mode is the place to start. The usual choice over m7, especially a ii7 in a ii–V–I.