About the C minor seven chord
C minor seven is used in C Dorian, where its notes spell the i chord. Think of it as a C minor seventh chord.
Its notes are C, E♭, G, and B♭. The intervals are a minor third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh.
Also called -7 and min7.
Positions
Notes and intervals
| 1 | CC | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | EbE♭ | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | GG | Perfect 5th |
| 4 | BbB♭ | Minor 7th |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Keys that use C minor seven
C minor seven is diatonic to these keys, where its notes spell the chord shown.
Other C chords
Simpler triads
Suspended
Sixths and sevenths
Extensions
Altered
Functional relationships
These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.
Relative major
The relative major uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a brighter home base.
Parallel major
The parallel major keeps the same root note but raises the third, giving the same key a brighter, happier sound.
Dominant
The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.
Subdominant
The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.
Tritone substitution
The tritone substitution stands in for this chord's dominant with a dominant seventh a half step above the root, which slides down by a half step to resolve here.
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