C Minor
Show Hand
The C minor chord is a triad formed from a root (C), a minor third (E♭) and a perfect fifth (G).
How to play C minor on the piano
To play the C minor chord, start by finding its root: C. Looking at the keyboard, you'll notice black keys in groups of two and three. The white note directly to the left of the groups of two black keys is C.
Three notes make up the C minor chord: C, E♭ and G. To play the chord in its root position with your right hand, use the following fingers:
G - Fifth finger (5)
E♭ - Third finger (3)
C - First finger (1)
Read: Our guide to major and minor chords.
To play the chord in its root position with your left hand, use these fingers:
G - First finger (1)
E♭ - Third finger (3)
C - Fifth finger (5)
In some instances, a piece of music may require you to play the chord with different fingers. Watch our video above to see how the C minor chord is built.
What are the inversions of C minor?
Above, we learned the root position for C minor, but the chord also has two inversions. By changing the order of the notes in the chord, you can play the first and second inversions of C minor.
How to play the first inversion of C minor
To play the first inversion of C minor, simply place E♭ as the lowest note of the chord. With your right hand, use the following fingers:
C - Fifth finger (5)
G - Second finger (2)
E♭ - First finger (1)
Read: Our guide to chord inversions.
How to play the second inversion of C minor
The second inversion of the C minor chord has G as the lowest note. Use the following fingers to play the chord with your right hand:
E♭ - Fifth finger (5)
C - Third finger (3)
G - First finger (1)
