C minor · 3 flats

Chords in C minor

C minor has 3 flats, and its notes are C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭ and B♭. Its seven chords are Cm, D°, E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭ and B♭; with sevenths, Cm7, Dm7♭5, E♭maj7, Fm7, Gm7, A♭maj7 and B♭7. The dominant players actually use, G7, comes from harmonic minor, so all three minor scales are below.

Natural minor

The key signature's own notes. Its v is minor, so it has no leading tone.

Chords of C minor, Natural minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function
i	Cm	Cm7	Tonic
ii°	D°		Subdominant
III			Tonic
iv	Fm	Fm7	Subdominant
v	Gm	Gm7	Dominant
VI			Tonic
VII			Dominant

Harmonic minor

The seventh raised a semitone, which makes V major and V7 a real dominant.

Chords of C minor, Harmonic minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function	Notes
i	Cm	CmMaj7	Tonic
ii°	D°		Subdominant
III+			Tonic
iv	Fm	Fm7	Subdominant
V	G	G7	Dominant	G B D F
VI			Tonic
vii°	B°	B°7	Dominant

Melodic minor

The sixth and seventh both raised, as the melody climbs to the tonic.

Chords of C minor, Melodic minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function	Notes
i	Cm	CmMaj7	Tonic
ii	Dm	Dm7	Subdominant	D F A C
III+			Tonic
IV	F	F7	Subdominant
V	G	G7	Dominant	G B D F
vi°	A°		Tonic
vii°	B°		Dominant	B D F A

Hear where home is

Two short progressions in C minor. The last chord of each is the tonic, and the chord before it is what makes it sound like arriving.

Cadence

Cmi
Fmiv
G7V7
Cmi

Minor ii V i

iiø7
G7V7
Cm7i7

Common progressions in C minor

Minor ii V i iiø7 V7 i7
2. G7
3. Cm7
Andalusian cadence i VII VI V
1. Cm
4. G
i VI III VII i VI III VII
1. Cm

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