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Cm/Ab Guitar Chord

A chord with a sad, melancholic character. Differs from major by its lowered third. Used across all genres for emotional expression — from ballads through rock to jazz. This is a slash chord — the bass note is Ab instead of the root.

Guitar

Strings X–X–6–5–4–3

How to play the Cm/Ab chord on guitar

Read the string pattern X–X–6–5–4–3 from the low E string to the high E string. Numbers in the pattern are frets; numbers in the colored dots are left-hand fingers. X means a muted string and 0 means an open string.

6th string (low E) Muted
5th string (A) Muted
4th string (D) Fret 6 · pinky
3rd string (G) Fret 5 · ring finger
2nd string (B) Fret 4 · middle finger
1st string (high E) Fret 3 · index finger

Other names for the Cm/Ab chord

Other names: C minor, Cmin, C-

Music theory name: minor triad

Common name: C minor chord

Notes and intervals in the Cm/Ab chord

Note Interval
C Root
Eb Minor 3rd
G Perfect 5th
Ab Bass note

All variations

Fret 3
X–X–6–5–4–3
Fret 6
X–X–6–8–8–8
Fret 8
X–11–10–8–8–8
Fret 11
X–11–13–12–13–11

More chords with C as the root

The same chord type in other keys