C minor chord (Cm)
Cm uses the notes C, E♭, G. It’s a barre chord: your index finger presses several strings at once, so the same shape moves anywhere on the neck.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. o = play the open string, x = don't play it. Tap a chord to hear it.
How to play Cm
- Lay your index finger (1) flat across the strings from the A (5th) to the high e (1st) at the 3rd fret.
- Put your ring finger (3) on the D (4th) string, 5th fret.
- Put your little finger (4) on the G (3rd) string, 5th fret.
- Put your middle finger (2) on the B (2nd) string, 4th fret.
- Strum from the A string down: 5 strings. Don’t hit the low E string.
Then pick each string one at a time. If one sounds dead or buzzy, adjust that finger. We call this the ring test.
Common mistakes
- Pressing with the soft, flat part of the index finger. Roll it slightly onto its bony side.
- Squeezing hard with the thumb. Pull back gently with your arm instead.
- The barre too far from the fret. Keep it just behind the fret wire.
- Giving up too soon. Barre chords take most people a couple of weeks of short daily practice.
Practise the change
Switch between the two chords for one minute, strumming once each time you land. Count every clean change: each switch counts, so Cm → Fm is 1 and back again is 2.
60
Tip: count out loud as you go.
Learn it step by step. Cm is taught in the lesson Barre chords (Stage 4), with a check at the end so you know it rings clean. Start free
Play your first song
Five chords and steady strumming get you there in a few weeks.