The G minor piano chord is a low, sorrowful chord that everyone should learn to play. This is our first chord with a flat directly in the chord. But don’t worry, it is pretty easy just like the rest of the minor chords. I’ll teach you everything you need to know as a beginner in this article, including finger position and inversions!
Before you proceed with learning the G minor chord, make sure you know the G major chord. It is always a good idea to know the corresponding major chord before going onto the minor chord. Then you can see how the transition from major to minor happens.
In addition, if you are interested in playing pop songs or worship songs in G minor, it is a good idea to have a few other chords under your belt: Bb major, Eb major, and C minor. Once you know those, you’re ready to go!
What is the G minor chord on piano?
The G minor chord is a minor triad with 1 flat, Bb. It is formed just like any other minor chord—by taking the major chord and lowering the third a half step. If that sounds tricky now, don’t worry! The diagrams and tips I have for you should help.
How do you play G minor on the keyboard?
You will play a G minor chord simply by pressing down the 3 notes in the triad simultaneously. See below for a diagram on which notes are included.
Notes in a G Minor Chord
In it’s simplest form (root position) the G minor chord includes 3 notes: G, Bb, and D. G is the root of the chord, Bb the minor third, and D the perfect fifth. Below you can see G minor on the keyboard!
Gm Chord Piano Finger Position
Before continuing, we need to talk about fingering—that is, which fingers to put on which notes for the G minor chord. Fingering is a big deal in piano! It is very important, so don’t skip this step!
The nice thing is that thefingerings for minor chords are always the same.And even better, the fingering is the same as major chords! Even though the number of flats and sharps vary, the fingering remains the same.
Right hand fingering: 1 – 3 – 5
Left hand fingering: 5 – 3 – 1
Don’t forget that finger 1 is your thumb, finger 3 your middle finger, and finger 5 your pinky.
Gm Piano Chord Inversions
After you learn the basic G minor triad, the next step is inversions! If you’ve already learned your major chords, you should know that inversions are basically just the same notes in the triad but mixed up in a different order.
Gm/Bb – First Inversion Chord
G minor first inversion is known as Gm/Bb. This is because the Bb is now on the bottom, followed by D, and then G on the top.
Right Hand fingering: 1 – 2 – 5
Left hand fingering: 5 – 3 – 1
Gm/D – Second Inversion Chord
G minor second inversion is known as Gm/D, for the same reason as the previous chord. This time, the D is on the bottom, followed by G, and Bb on top.
Right hand fingering: 1 – 3 – 5
Left hand fingering: 1 – 2 – 5
Now that you’ve learned the basics of inversions, you want to practice them a lot! Start by doing your hands separately. Do the basic G minor chord, then go up the inversions until you reach another basic G minor chord. Then, come back down. You can do this in both hands separately, and then put them together when you’re comfortable enough!
G Minor Inversions on the Staff
It is a good idea not only to play the G minor inversions, but to see what they look like written out on the staff. The more you study this, the easier it will be to recognize G minor chords and inversions in an actual piece of music!
What chords are in the key of G Minor?
While G minor is a specific chord, it also is a key withotherchords in it too! In fact, a chord can be built off of every single note in the G minor scale. All of these chords work well together with G minor when used in chord progressions (see farther down for more info).
Here are all the chords in the key of G minor (from the natural minor scale):
- i – G minor
- iidim – A diminished
- III – B flat major
- iv – C minor
- v – D minor
- VI – E flat major
- VII – F major
G Minor Chord Progressions
The best way to use those chords listed above is to put them into a chord progression! This is simply an order of playing a few chords that is often repeated multiple times. Here are a few of my favorite G minor chord progressions:
- Gm – Eb – Bb – F (i – VI – III – VII)
- Cm – Bb – Gm – F (iv, III, i, VII)
- Gm – Bb – Cm – Eb (i, III, iv, VI)
Another chord you will commonly see in G minor is D major. This is because another version of the G minor scale, harmonic minor, has the F# included! Transitioning from a major V chord to a minor i chord is very common, espeically in classical music. Try playing the D chord and then the Gm chord, and you’ll see it sounds very good and resolute!
More Questions About G Minor
What is the 2 chord in G minor?
In G minor, the 2 chord is A diminished. In all minor scales, the 2 is diminished. It follows that this is one of the most uncommon chords, then, in the whole scale.
What is the 5 chord of G minor?
The 5 (or V) chord in G minor is D minor or D major, depending on the type of minor scale you are playing. D major, following the harmonic minor scale, is more common.
Is G minor the same as B flat major?
No, G minor is not exactly the same as Bb major. While they have the same key signature, they are still technically different keys. Instead, they are known as relative major and minor keys.
Is G minor the same thing as G major?
No, G minor and G major are definitely different. In G major, the third is raised so it has the notes G, B, and D. On the other hand. G minor lowers the third to get Bb.
What does the key of G minor sound like?
G minor is a suspensful type of key. Words like uneasiness and grimness come to mind. According to Wmich.edu, it is the “key of the grave.”
Conclusion
G minor is a great chord to learn, whether or not you are into sad, grim music. This chord will appear in many different songs and classical pieces, so it is still good to know. You can learn this chord in a jiffy. Start with the basic chord and then move onto inversions, fingerings, and chord progressions. You can do it!
