C minor chords, relative major and Camelot code (5A)
C minor has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Its chords are Cm, D°, E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭ and B♭. The relative major is E♭ major and the Camelot code is 5A, so it mixes cleanly with 4A, 6A and 5B.
Notes in the C minor scale
C minor has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | D | E♭ | F | G | A♭ | B♭ |
Chords in C minor
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get the seven chords that belong to the key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | C · E♭ · G |
| ii° | D° | D · F · A♭ |
| III | E♭ | E♭ · G · B♭ |
| iv | Fm | F · A♭ · C |
| v | Gm | G · B♭ · D |
| VI | A♭ | A♭ · C · E♭ |
| VII | B♭ | B♭ · D · F |
In practice most songs in C minor swap the minor v for G. Raising the seventh note (B♭ to B) gives a leading note that pulls back to C, so G to Cm sounds like arriving home.
Common progressions in C minor
- Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭ (i–VI–III–VII): the minor-key pop and trap loop.
- Cm – Fm – Gm (i–iv–v): the plain minor blues shape.
- Cm – B♭ – A♭ – G (i–VII–VI–V): the descending Andalusian cadence, with a major V.
- Cm – Fm – B♭ – E♭ (i–iv–VII–III): a common lo-fi and R&B cycle.
Keys that mix with C minor
C minor is 5A on the Camelot wheel. For a clean blend, go to a key next to it:
| Camelot | Key | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 4A | F minor | One step round the wheel: shares six of its seven notes |
| 6A | G minor | One step the other way: also shares six of seven notes |
| 5B | E♭ major | The relative major: exactly the same notes |
How the wheel works is in the Camelot wheel explained, and how to use it in a set is in harmonic mixing for DJs.
Relative and parallel keys
The relative major, E♭ major, uses exactly the same notes with a different home chord. The parallel major, C major, keeps C as home but changes three notes. More on the difference in relative major and minor keys.
Questions people ask
What chords are in C minor?
Cm (i), D° (ii°), E♭ (III), Fm (iv), Gm (v), A♭ (VI) and B♭ (VII).
What is the relative major of C minor?
E♭ major. It uses the same 7 notes, C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, but centres on E♭ instead of C.
What is the Camelot code for C minor?
5A. In Open Key notation it is 10m.
What keys mix well with C minor?
F minor (4A), G minor (6A) and E♭ major (5B). They sit next to 5A on the Camelot wheel.
How many sharps or flats does C minor have?
3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).