Cm7 chord (C minor seventh) on bass
Cm7 (C minor seventh) has four notes: C, E flat, G and B flat. Its formula is 1, b3, 5, b7. In major keys, Cm7 is the ii7 chord in Bb major, the iii7 in Ab major and the vi7 in Eb major.
How to play Cm7 on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 3 on D.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on D.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on D, 1 on G.
Fingers: 1 on E, 1 on D, 1 on G.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | Cm7 |
|---|---|
| Also written | Cmin7, C-7 |
| Notes | C Eb G Bb |
| Formula | 1 b3 5 b7 |
| Intervals | root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh |
| Type | Minor seventh chord |
Cm7 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 3 G (5), fret 6 Bb (flat 7), fret 8 C (1), fret 11 Eb (flat 3), fret 15 G (5), fret 18 Bb (flat 7), fret 20 C (1), fret 23 Eb (flat 3).
- A string: fret 1 Bb (flat 7), fret 3 C (1), fret 6 Eb (flat 3), fret 10 G (5), fret 13 Bb (flat 7), fret 15 C (1), fret 18 Eb (flat 3), fret 22 G (5).
- D string: fret 1 Eb (flat 3), fret 5 G (5), fret 8 Bb (flat 7), fret 10 C (1), fret 13 Eb (flat 3), fret 17 G (5), fret 20 Bb (flat 7), fret 22 C (1).
- G string: fret 0 G (5), fret 3 Bb (flat 7), fret 5 C (1), fret 8 Eb (flat 3), fret 12 G (5), fret 15 Bb (flat 7), fret 17 C (1), fret 20 Eb (flat 3), fret 24 G (5).
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Questions
What notes are in the Cm7 chord?
Cm7 (C minor seventh) has four notes: C, E flat, G and B flat. Its formula is 1, b3, 5, b7. C is the root, Eb is the minor third, G is the perfect fifth and Bb is the minor seventh.
How do you play Cm7 on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 5th: 1 5, root on the E string, fret 8. Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
What key is Cm7 in?
In major keys, Cm7 is the ii7 chord in Bb major, the iii7 in Ab major and the vi7 in Eb major. It is diatonic to those keys, so it fits songs in any of them.
What is the difference between Cm7 and Cm?
Cm7 is Cm (C, Eb and G) with a flat 7th added: Bb.