Chord reference
Minor triad
1 – ♭3 – 5 · example: Cm = C – E♭ – G
A minor third with a major third on top — the major triad with its third lowered a semitone.
Written as a formula it is 1 – ♭3 – 5: the degrees of the major scale it keeps, with any that are altered marked. On C that gives Cm = C, E♭, G.
How it is built
- Gthird
- E♭minor
- Croot
The intervals above the root
| Chord tone | Interval above the root | Semitones | Note in Cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perfect unison | 0 | C |
| ♭3 | Minor third | 3 | E♭ |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | G |
Inversions
The same notes can be stacked in any vertical order. The chord keeps its name; what changes is which note is in the bass. See chord inversions for why that matters.
| Position | Notes | Written as |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | C – E♭ – G | Cm |
| First inversion | E♭ – G – C | Cm/E♭ |
| Second inversion | G – C – E♭ | Cm/G |
This chord on every root
| Root | Symbol | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C | Cm | C – E♭ – G |
| D♭ | D♭m | D♭ – F♭ – A♭ |
| D | Dm | D – F – A |
| E♭ | E♭m | E♭ – G♭ – B♭ |
| E | Em | E – G – B |
| F | Fm | F – A♭ – C |
| F♯ | F♯m | F♯ – A – C♯ |
| G | Gm | G – B♭ – D |
| A♭ | A♭m | A♭ – C♭ – E♭ |
| A | Am | A – C – E |
| B♭ | B♭m | B♭ – D♭ – F |
| B | Bm | B – D – F♯ |