C Minor

How to play C minor on the piano

Looking at the piano, you'll notice the keyboard's black keys in groups of two and three. If you look at the black keys in groups of two, the white key just to the left is C, the root of C minor.

To play the C minor chord, you use the following notes: C, E♭, and G. In its root position, you'd play the chord with your right hand using the following fingers:

G - Fifth finger (5)
E♭ - Third finger (3)
C - First finger (1)

Read more: Our guide to major and minor chords.

With your left hand, you play the chord a bit differently. Use the following fingers:

G - Fifth finger (1)
E♭ - Third finger (3)
C - Fifth finger (5)

You might find playing the chord with different fingers makes more sense, depending on the piece of music that you're playing. If you haven't yet, watch our video above to see how the C minor chord is built.

What are the inversions of C minor?

Above, we learned the root position for C minor, but the chord also has two inversions. By changing the order of the notes in the chord, you can play the 1st and 2nd inversions of C minor.

How to play the 1st inversion of C minor

To play the 1st inversion of C minor, simply place the E♭ as the lowest note of the chord. With your right hand, use the following fingers:

C - Fifth finger (5)
G - Second finger (2)
E♭ - First finger (1)

Read more: Our guide to chord inversions.

How to play the 2nd inversion of C minor

The 2nd inversion of the C minor chord places the G as the lowest note. Use the following fingers to play the chord with your right hand:

E♭ - Fifth finger (5)
C - Third finger (3)
G - First finger (1)