C Minor Seventh Chord (Cm7)

1Composition: what it contains

C – E♭ – G – B♭

Symbol

Cm7

Also written

Cm7, Cmin7, C-7, Cmi7

Formula

1 ♭3 5 ♭7

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

On the guitar

On the ukulele

On the piano

On the staff

On bass and as an arpeggio

3Indications: what it is used for

The ii7, iii7 and vi7 chords of a major key and the i7 and iv7 chords of a minor key (in natural minor or Dorian context). It is the ii in the ii–V–I, the main chord in funk, soul, R&B and modal jazz vamps, and a common colour in pop and lo-fi. Dorian is the typical scale over it. It can substitute for a IV chord (ii7 for IV) and is often extended to m9 or m11.

4Dosage: how to practise it

On guitar, learn barre shapes rooted on the sixth and fifth strings, drop-2 voicings on the top four strings, and shells (root, ♭3, ♭7). On piano, play it in all inversions and in rootless voicings (♭3-5-♭7-9). Practise ii7–V7–Imaj7 progressions at 80–140 BPM in all keys. Play funk vamps on one m7 chord with sixteenth-note strumming. Arpeggiate 1-♭3-5-♭7 on bass. Ten minutes a day. Then practise moving smoothly from m7 shapes to the dominant chord a fourth higher, keeping common tones.

5Warnings and common mistakes

Do not confuse m7 with mMaj7 (major seventh) or with m7♭5 (flattened fifth). The minor seventh chord shares its notes with the major sixth chord built on its third, so the bass decides the name. On guitar, beginners often play a major third by mistake when moving barre shapes. In close voicings, avoid the root doubled next to the flat seventh where it sounds thick.

6Interactions with chords, scales and keys

Inversions

• Inversion 1 · Cm7/E♭ · E♭ – G – B♭ – C Play
• Inversion 2 · Cm7/G · G – B♭ – C – E♭ Play
• Inversion 3 · Cm7/B♭ · B♭ – C – E♭ – G Play

Scales to play over Cm7

• C Natural Minor Scale
• C Dorian Mode
• C Phrygian Mode
• C Minor Pentatonic Scale
• C Blues Scale
• C Half-Whole Diminished Scale

Where it appears (keys and Roman numerals)

• ii7 – Key of B flat Major
• vi7 – Key of E flat Major
• iii7 – Key of A flat Major
• iv7 – Key of G Minor
• i7 – Key of C Minor
• v7 – Key of F Minor

7Other presentations available

The same chord from every note

C♯m7 Dm7 E♭m7 Em7 Fm7 F♯m7 Gm7 A♭m7 Am7 B♭m7 Bm7

Other chords on C

C Cm Cdim Caug Csus2 Csus4 C5 C6 Cm6 C7 Cmaj7 Cm7♭5 Cdim7 Cm(maj7) C7sus4 Cadd9 Cm(add9) C6/9 C9 Cmaj9 Cm9 C11 Cm11 C13 C7♭9 C7♯9 C7♯5 C7♭5