C minor chord on ukulele (Cm)

Cm is C, E♭ and G. The easiest shape is 0-3-3-3. Tap Play, then slow it down.

How to play Cm on ukulele

Shape 1, 0-3-3-3, reading from the G string on the left:

1. Index finger: C string, 3rd fret (E♭).
2. Middle finger: E string, 3rd fret (G).
3. Ring finger: A string, 3rd fret (C).
4. Let the open G string ring (G).

• If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.
• Strum with the pad of your index finger or thumb, all four strings, across the spot where the neck meets the body.

Other ways to play Cm

• 8-7-8-6: movable shape at the 6th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
• 12-12-11-10: movable shape at the 10th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

Playing Cm with a capo

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 1st fret and play the open Bm shape (4-2-2-2) or capo on the 3rd fret and play the open Am shape (2-0-0-0). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

Changing from Cm to the chords around it

These are the changes you'll meet most often with Cm, using the first shape of each chord.

• F (V in B♭ major): Cm (0-3-3-3) to F (2-0-1-0): the index finger goes to the E string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret. The two chords share C, which is why the change sounds smooth. F on ukulele
• E♭ (IV in B♭ major): Cm (0-3-3-3) to E♭ (0-3-3-1): the index finger goes to the A string, 1st fret, the middle finger slides across to the C string at the same fret, the ring finger slides across to the E string at the same fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for E♭ and G, which stay put while the rest moves. E♭ on ukulele
• B♭ (I in B♭ major): Cm (0-3-3-3) to B♭ (3-2-1-1): the index finger goes to the E string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 1st fret, move the ring finger to the C string, 2nd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. B♭ on ukulele

Cm has the gentle, slightly melancholy sound of a minor chord. All 3 notes of Cm fit on the ukulele's four strings, with one of them doubled. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Getting Cm under your fingers

Arpeggiate 0-3-3-3 from the lowest string: G, E♭, G, C. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Then switch to 8-7-8-6 and back four times without looking at your hand.

Keys and progressions with Cm

• ii in B♭ major
• iii in A♭ major
• vi in E♭ major
• i in C minor
• iv in G minor
• v in F minor

In C minor, i–VI–III–VII on ukulele is Cm (0-3-3-3), A♭ (1-3-4-3), E♭ (0-3-3-1) and B♭ (3-2-1-1). About the minor anthem.

In C minor, i–iv–V on ukulele is Cm (0-3-3-3), Fm (1-0-1-3) and G (0-2-3-2). About the minor cadence.

In C minor, i–VII–VI–V on ukulele is Cm (0-3-3-3), B♭ (3-2-1-1), A♭ (1-3-4-3) and G (0-2-3-2). About the Andalusian cadence.

Cm on guitar and piano

Cm on guitar and piano uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Next to try on ukulele

• C
• Cm7
• Cm6
• Csus2
• Csus4
• Cdim

Other minor chords

• C♯m
• Dm
• E♭m
• Em
• Fm
• F♯m
• Gm
• G♯m
• Am
• B♭m
• Bm

Every shape above plays only C, E♭ and G, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026. Print this chord