Guitar chord reference
Minor guitar chord: five CAGED shapes
A minor triad lowers the 3rd of the major chord while retaining root and perfect 5th. Comparing matched CAGED forms makes that single structural change visible across the neck.
Chord construction and function
The minor 3rd is the defining tone. Some movable shapes redistribute or omit doubled notes, so prioritise the three chord functions over copying an open-position grip literally.
- Chord formula
- 1 · ♭3 · 5
- Notes in Cm
- C · E♭ · G
Cm in CAGED neck order
Root notes are highlighted. Read each movable voicing as a set of chord tones, not simply as a copied open shape.
C shape
A shape
G shape
E shape
D shape
Practice drill
Alternate major and minor versions of each CAGED shape without moving the root. Then play all five minor shapes in neck order while naming each minor 3rd.
Open the chord randomiser