Chords in the Key of C Minor

The key of C minor has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Its scale is C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭, and its chords are Cm, Ddim, E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭.

The C minor scale.

Chords in C minor

Degree	Chord	Seventh chord	Notes
i	Cm	Cm7 i7	C – E♭ – G
ii°	Ddim	Dm7♭5 iiø7	D – F – A♭
III	E♭	E♭maj7 IIImaj7	E♭ – G – B♭
iv	Fm	Fm7 iv7	F – A♭ – C
v	Gm	Gm7 v7	G – B♭ – D
VI	A♭	A♭maj7 VImaj7	A♭ – C – E♭
VII	B♭	B♭7 VII7	B♭ – D – F

Common chord progressions in C minor

i – iv – v – i: Cm – Fm – Gm – Cm
i – VI – III – VII: Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭
i – VII – VI – VII: Cm – B♭ – A♭ – B♭
ii° – v – i: Ddim – Gm – Cm

Related keys

E♭ major (relative major, same notes)
C major (parallel major, same starting note)
G minor (dominant key, a fifth up)
F minor (subdominant key, a fifth down)