C Minor Piano Chord
Root
CMin 3rd
Eb5th
GE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
C
Eb
G
The Notes in a C Minor Chord
The Root
The root is the bottom note of the chord, the starting point to which the other notes relate. The root of a C Minor chord is C.
The Min 3rd
The minor third of a C Minor chord is Eb. The minor third is up three half-steps from the Root.
Finding Eb from C step by step:
- Start on: C
- Step 1: move up to Db
- Step 2: move up to D
- Step 3: Land on Eb
Min 3rd
EbRoot
C1
2
- Db is a minor second above C.
- D is a major 2nd above C.
- Eb is a minor third above C.
The 5th
The fifth of a C Minor chord is G. The fifth is down five half-steps from the Root.
Finding G from C step by step:
- Start on: C
- Step 1: move down to B
- Step 2: move down to Bb
- Step 3: move down to A
- Step 4: move down to Ab
- Step 5: Land on G
5th
GRoot
C1
2
3
4
- B is a minor second below C.
- Bb is a major 2nd below C.
- A is a minor third below C.
- Ab is a major third below C.
- G is a fourth below C. The 5th is down a fourth? Confusing, right? The note G is down 5 half-steps from C, but up 7 half-steps from C:
5th
GRoot
C1
2
3
4
5
6
The Inversions of C Minor
Root Position
Root
CMin 3rd
Eb5th
GE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
C
Eb
G
1st Inversion
Min 3rd
Eb5th
GRoot
CE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
Eb
G
C
2nd Inversion
5th
GRoot
CMin 3rd
EbE
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
G
C
Eb
