Piano · Level 7 · Advanced
The minor blues in C minor on Piano
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The minor blues follows the familiar 12-bar shape with minor seventh chords and a ♭VI7–V7 approach. It is a core jazz and blues form.
Cm7
Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭
Fm7
Notes: F · A♭ · C · E♭
A♭7
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭
G7
Notes: G · B · D · F
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Cm7, Fm7, A♭7 and G7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- Set the tempo to 66 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Mark bar nine clearly; it is where the ♭VI7 changes the colour.
- Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- Raise the tempo to 88 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the half-step fall from ♭VI7 to V7.
Listen for
Aim for the half-step fall from ♭VI7 to V7. A common mistake is losing the form during the long stretches on i.
Why it works
♭VI7 is a tritone substitute for the V7 of V, leading by half step into V7.
C minor has 3 flats; its relative major key is E♭ major.
Questions
What are the chords in i–iv–i–♭VI7–V7–i in C minor?
In C minor the progression is Cm7 | Cm7 | Cm7 | Cm7 | Fm7 | Fm7 | Cm7 | Cm7 | A♭7 | G7 | Cm7 | G7.
What is the key signature of C minor?
C minor has 3 flats. Its relative major is E♭ major.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 7 lesson (advanced). If it feels too hard, start with “Borrowed chords: the minor iv”.
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