Cm7
C Minor 7th — the workhorse of smooth harmony — soft, rounded, and at home on the ii chord of nearly everything.
The keys
C – E♭ – G – B♭
What's inside Cm7
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| C | Root | 1 |
| E♭ | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| G | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| B♭ | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | C4 – E♭4 – G4 – B♭4 |
| 1st inversion | E♭4 – G4 – B♭4 – C5 |
| 2nd inversion | G4 – B♭4 – C5 – E♭5 |
| 3rd inversion | B♭4 – C5 – E♭5 – G5 |
A working voicing
Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:
| Hand | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left (shell) | C2 – B♭2 |
| Right (colour) | E♭4 – G4 |
Where Cm7 lives
As the ii chord
Cm7 → F7 → B♭maj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
C → Cm7 → Dm7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put Cm7 under your fingers
Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.
Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →