Minor chords are fundamental building blocks for guitarists, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with major chords in their importance. Understanding and playing minor chords opens up a vast landscape of musical expression, adding depth and emotion to your playing. This guide will take you through everything you need to know about minor chords on the guitar, from basic shapes to their theoretical underpinnings and practical applications.
What are Minor Chords?
At their core, minor chords are triads, meaning they consist of three notes. These notes are built upon a root note and include the minor third and perfect fifth intervals. While music theory can seem complex, it’s helpful to understand that the “minor” quality comes from that “minor third” interval, which gives minor chords their characteristically darker, sadder, or more melancholic sound compared to the brighter sound of major chords.
Minor chords are typically denoted by the root note letter followed by a lowercase “m,” for example, Am for A minor, Em for E minor, and so on. Beyond these basic forms, the world of minor chords expands to include variations like minor 7th (m7), minor 9th (m9), minor 11th (m11), and minor 13th (m13) chords, each adding further color and complexity to your sonic palette.
Essential Minor Chord Shapes for Guitar
Let’s dive into the most common and essential minor chord shapes every guitarist should learn. These are your starting points for building a solid foundation in minor chord vocabulary.
C Minor (Cm)
The Cm chord can be a bit trickier for beginners, but mastering it is worth the effort.
Image alt text: Cm chord diagram, index finger on 3rd fret A string, middle finger on 4th fret D string, ring finger on 5th fret G string, pinky finger on 4th fret B string, strumming from A string down
D Minor (Dm)
Dm is a very common and relatively easy minor chord to learn early on.
Image alt text: Dm chord diagram, index finger on 1st fret E string, middle finger on 3rd fret B string, ring finger on 2nd fret G string, strumming from D string down
E Minor (Em)
Em is often one of the first chords taught to guitar beginners due to its simplicity and open string-friendly shape.
Image alt text: Em chord diagram, middle finger on 2nd fret A string, ring finger on 2nd fret D string, strum all six strings
F Minor (Fm)
Fm, similar to Cm, often utilizes a barre chord shape, which can be challenging initially but becomes more manageable with practice.
Image alt text: Fm chord diagram, barre index finger across 1st fret of all strings, middle finger on 3rd fret D string, ring finger on 3rd fret G string, pinky finger on 3rd fret B string, strum all six strings
G Minor (Gm)
Gm is another frequently used minor chord, often played in barre form, offering a movable shape up and down the guitar neck.
Image alt text: Gm chord diagram, barre index finger across 3rd fret of all strings, middle finger on 5th fret A string, ring finger on 5th fret D string, pinky finger on 5th fret G string, strum all six strings
A Minor (Am)
Am is a cornerstone minor chord, incredibly versatile and appearing in countless songs across genres.
Image alt text: Am chord diagram, index finger on 1st fret B string, middle finger on 2nd fret D string, ring finger on 2nd fret G string, strum from A string down
B Minor (Bm)
Bm is often considered a more advanced beginner chord due to its common barre chord form, but it’s crucial for playing in various keys and styles.
Image alt text: Bm chord diagram, barre index finger across 2nd fret of all strings, middle finger on 4th fret D string, ring finger on 4th fret G string, pinky finger on 3rd fret B string, strum from A string down
Minor Chords with Sharps and Flats
Just like major chords, minor chords also exist with sharp (#) and flat (b) root notes. These chords are equally important and expand your harmonic possibilities. Remember that sharp and flat versions of the same note can have different names (enharmonic equivalents), such as C#m and Dbm being the same chord in terms of pitch.
C Sharp Minor / D Flat Minor (C#m / Dbm)
Image alt text: C sharp minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 4th fret of all strings, middle finger on 6th fret A string, ring finger on 6th fret D string, pinky finger on 5th fret B string, strum from A string down
Image alt text: D flat minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 4th fret of all strings, middle finger on 6th fret A string, ring finger on 6th fret D string, pinky finger on 5th fret B string, strum from A string down
D Sharp Minor / E Flat Minor (D#m / Ebm)
Image alt text: D sharp minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 6th fret of all strings, middle finger on 8th fret A string, ring finger on 8th fret D string, pinky finger on 7th fret B string, strum from A string down
Image alt text: E flat minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 6th fret of all strings, middle finger on 8th fret A string, ring finger on 8th fret D string, pinky finger on 7th fret B string, strum from A string down
F Sharp Minor / G Flat Minor (F#m / Gbm)
Image alt text: F sharp minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 2nd fret of all strings, middle finger on 4th fret D string, ring finger on 4th fret G string, pinky finger on 4th fret B string, strum all six strings
Image alt text: G flat minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 2nd fret of all strings, middle finger on 4th fret D string, ring finger on 4th fret G string, pinky finger on 4th fret B string, strum all six strings
G Sharp Minor / A Flat Minor (G#m / Abm)
Image alt text: G sharp minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 4th fret of all strings, middle finger on 6th fret A string, ring finger on 6th fret D string, pinky finger on 5th fret B string, strum all six strings
Image alt text: A flat minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 4th fret of all strings, middle finger on 6th fret A string, ring finger on 6th fret D string, pinky finger on 5th fret B string, strum all six strings
A Sharp Minor / B Flat Minor (A#m / Bbm)
Image alt text: A sharp minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 1st fret of all strings, middle finger on 3rd fret D string, ring finger on 3rd fret G string, pinky finger on 2nd fret B string, strum from A string down
Image alt text: B flat minor chord diagram, barre index finger across 1st fret of all strings, middle finger on 3rd fret D string, ring finger on 3rd fret G string, pinky finger on 2nd fret B string, strum from A string down
Expanding Your Minor Chord Vocabulary
Once you are comfortable with these basic minor chord shapes, you can explore different voicings and variations. For chords like Cm, Fm, and Bm, and their sharp/flat counterparts, barre chord shapes offer alternative ways to play them across the fretboard. Using a capo can also simplify playing these chords in different keys. Experiment to find the voicings and positions that sound best in different musical contexts and are comfortable for your playing style.
Understanding the Notes within Minor Chords
Delving into the notes that make up minor chords enhances your understanding of music theory and how chords function.
Notes and Numbers in Minor Chord Families
Here’s a breakdown of the number of notes in various minor chord types:
- Cm: 3 notes
- Cm7: 4 notes
- Cm6: 4 notes
- Cm9: 5 notes
- Cm11: 6 notes
- Cm13: 7 notes
Specific Notes in Common Minor Chords
Here are the specific notes that comprise different types of C minor chords as examples, illustrating how extensions add notes to the basic triad:
- Cm7: C – Eb – G – Bb
- C#m7: C# – E – G# – B
- Dm7: D – F – A – C
- D#m7: D# – F# – A# – C#
- Em7: E – G – B – D
- Fm7: F – Ab – C – Eb
- F#m7: F# – A – C# – E
- Gm7: G – Bb – D – F
- G#m7: G# – B – D# – F#
- Am7: A – C – E – G
- A#m7: A# – C# – F – G#
- Bm7: B – D – F# – A
Similarly, here are the notes for minor 6th, minor 9th, minor 11th, and minor 13th chords, using C minor as the root:
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Cm6: C – Eb – G – A
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Dm6: D – F – A – B
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Em6: E – G – B – C#
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Fm6: F – Ab – C – D
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Gm6: G – Bb – D – E
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Am6: A – C – E – F#
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Bm6: B – D – F# – G#
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Cm9: C – Eb – G – Bb – D
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Dm9: D – F – A – C – E
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Em9: E – G – B – D – F#
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Fm9: F – Ab – C – Eb – G
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Gm9: G – Bb – D – F – A
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Am9: A – C – E – G – B
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Bm9: B – D – F# – A – C#
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Cm11: C – Eb – G – Bb – D – F
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Dm11: D – F – A – C – E – G
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Em11: E – G – B – D – F# – A
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Fm11: F – Ab – C – Eb – G – Bb
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Gm11: G – Bb – D – F – A – C
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Am11: A – C – E – G – B – D
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Bm11: B – D – F# – A – C# – E
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Cm13: C – Eb – G – Bb – D – F – A
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Dm13: D – F – A – C – E – G – B
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Em13: E – G – B – D – F# – A – C#
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Fm13: F – Ab – C – Eb – G – Bb – D
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Gm13: G – Bb – D – F – A – C – E
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Am13: A – C – E – G – B – D – F#
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Bm13: B – D – F# – A – C# – E – G#
Using Minor Chords in Progressions
Minor chords are rarely played in isolation. Their power truly emerges in chord progressions, often alongside major chords and other chord types. Here are some fundamental examples of chord progressions that feature minor chords:
- Em – Am – D – G (Common and versatile progression in E minor)
- Gm – Bb – Dm – F (Classic progression in G minor)
- Am – G – C – E (Popular progression in A minor, using a major V chord)
- C – Dm – Em – Am (Simple and effective progression moving between relative major and minor)
Minor Keys and Chord Charts
Understanding minor keys is crucial for songwriting and improvisation using minor chords. The following charts outline the diatonic chords in each minor key. These charts are invaluable tools for crafting songs or chord progressions within a specific minor key.
Chart of Diatonic Chords in Minor Keys
| Key | i | ii° | III | iv | v | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A#m | A#m | B#° | C# | D#m | E#m | F# | G# |
| D#m | D#m | E#° | F# | G#m | A#m | B | C# |
| G#m | G#m | A#° | B | C#m | D#m | E | F# |
| C#m | C#m | D#° | E | F#m | G#m | A | B |
| F#m | F#m | G#° | A | Bm | C#m | D | E |
| Bm | Bm | C#° | D | Em | F#m | G | A |
| Em | Em | F#° | G | Am | Bm | C | D |
| Am | Am | B° | C | Dm | Em | F | G |
| Dm | Dm | E° | F | Gm | Am | Bb | C |
| Gm | Gm | A° | Bb | Cm | Dm | Eb | F |
| Cm | Cm | D° | Eb | Fm | Gm | Ab | Bb |
| Fm | Fm | G° | Ab | Bbm | Cm | Db | Eb |
| Bbm | Bbm | C° | Db | Ebm | Fm | Gb | Ab |
| Ebm | Ebm | F° | Gb | Abm | Bbm | Cb | Db |
| Abm | Abm | Bb° | Cb | Dbm | Ebm | Fb | Gb |
Note: Cb = B, E# = F, Fb = E
To use this chart, find your desired minor key in the first column (e.g., Em). The row corresponding to that key lists the diatonic chords available in that key. For Em, these chords are G, Am, Bm, C, and D. These chords will naturally sound good together when creating progressions in E minor.
Alternative Chart: Harmonic Minor and the Dominant Chord
Another perspective considers the harmonic minor scale, which often sharpens the 7th degree of the scale, leading to a major or dominant 7th chord in the V (dominant) position. This creates a stronger pull back to the tonic (i) chord.
| Key | i | ii° | III | IV | V | VI | VII° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A#m | A#m | B#° | C# | D#m | E# | F# | G#° |
| D#m | D#m | E#° | F# | G#m | A# | B | C#° |
| G#m | G#m | A#° | B | C#m | D# | E | F#° |
| C#m | C#m | D#° | E | F#m | G# | A | B° |
| F#m | F#m | G#° | A | Bm | C# | D | E° |
| Bm | Bm | C#° | D | Em | F# | G | A° |
| Em | Em | F#° | G | Am | B | C | D° |
| Am | Am | B° | C | Dm | E | F | G#° |
| Dm | Dm | E° | F | Gm | A | Bb | C#° |
| Gm | Gm | A° | Bb | Cm | D | Eb | F#° |
| Cm | Cm | D° | Eb | Fm | G | Ab | B° |
| Fm | Fm | G° | Ab | Bbm | C | Db | E° |
| Bbm | Bbm | C° | Db | Ebm | F | Gb | A° |
| Ebm | Ebm | F° | Gb | Abm | Bb | Cb | D° |
| Abm | Abm | Bb° | Cb | Dbm | Eb | Fb | G° |
In this chart, the IV chord remains minor, but the V chord becomes major (or often a dominant 7th). For example, in A minor, instead of Em as the v chord, you often see E major (or E7). This E chord (E, G#, B) contains a G# note, which is the sharpened 7th of the A minor scale (A, B, C, D, E, F, G#). This sharpened 7th, known as the leading tone, creates a stronger resolution back to the tonic (Am). A common progression illustrating this is: Am – Dm – Am – E.
Minor Chords and Musical Expression
Minor chords are essential tools for any guitarist. They add a layer of emotional depth and complexity to your playing, allowing you to move beyond simple major chord progressions. By mastering these basic shapes, understanding their theoretical construction, and exploring their use in progressions and minor keys, you’ll unlock a richer and more expressive musical vocabulary on the guitar. Practice these chords diligently, experiment with different progressions, and listen to how minor chords are used in your favorite songs to truly internalize their power and beauty.
Image alt text: Thumbnail image for The Chord Chart Poster, featuring a collage of various guitar chord diagrams and fretboard visuals.
