G minor chord on piano (Gm)
Gm is G, B♭ and D. G is the white key between the first two black keys of the three. Hit Play and watch each key light as it sounds.
root position · G–B♭–D · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- G · B♭ · D
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · 5
How to play Gm on piano
Start on G, count 3 half steps up to B♭ then 4 half steps up to D. That's the whole chord: 3 keys.
- Right hand: 1 on G, 3 on B♭ and 5 on D.
- Left hand: 5 on G, 3 on B♭ and 1 on D.
- On the keyboard it's white, black and white keys, the same pattern as Cm and Fm, so your hand shape carries over.
Gm inversions
- root position: G–B♭–D. Fingers 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: B♭–D–G (B♭ in the bass). RH 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: D–G–B♭, with D at the bottom. RH 1-3-5.
Inversions keep the same notes and change which one is lowest. Moving between chords, pick the inversion that keeps your hand closest to where it already is.
Changing from Gm to the chords around it
The chords Gm usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- C (V in F major): Gm to C: play C in 2nd inversion (G–C–E) and G stays under the same finger, while B♭ moves up to C and D up to E. C on piano
- B♭ (IV in F major): Gm to B♭: play B♭ in 2nd inversion (F–B♭–D) and B♭ and D stay under the same fingers, while G moves down to F. B♭ on piano
- F (I in F major): Gm to F: play F in root position (F–A–C), while G moves down to F, B♭ down to A and D down to C. F on piano
Gm is a minor triad. A minor chord softens a progression. Try Gm right after G major to hear how much one note changes. Play it solid and then broken to hear the difference.
Getting Gm under your fingers
Play Gm broken, one key at a time: G, B♭, D, B♭, G. Then press the keys together and check that all 3 sound at the same volume. Then climb the inversions: G–B♭–D, then B♭–D–G, then D–G–B♭.
The keys of Gm
Gm is a minor chord, 1–♭3–5 from G. Root position, from the bottom: how Gm is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| B♭ | black key | RH 3 · LH 3 | minor third |
| D | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | perfect fifth |
Where Gm shows up
In G minor, i–VI–III–VII on piano is Gm (G–B♭–D), E♭ (E♭–G–B♭), B♭ (B♭–D–F) and F (F–A–C). About the minor anthem.
In G minor, i–iv–V on piano is Gm (G–B♭–D), Cm (C–E♭–G) and D (D–F♯–A). About the minor cadence.
In G minor, i–VII–VI–V on piano is Gm (G–B♭–D), F (F–A–C), E♭ (E♭–G–B♭) and D (D–F♯–A). About the Andalusian cadence.
Gm on guitar and ukulele
The same notes on another instrument: Gm on guitar and Gm on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.
Close to Gm
Other minor chords
Gm on piano: questions
What notes are in Gm on piano?
G, B♭ and D: G (white key), B♭ (black key) and D (white key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Gm on piano?
Press G, B♭ and D together (1 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on G, 3 on B♭ and 5 on D.
What are the inversions of Gm?
1st inversion (B♭–D–G) and 2nd inversion (D–G–B♭), after root position (G–B♭–D). Same notes, a different one at the bottom.
What does Gm look like on the keyboard?
white, black and white keys, the same pattern as Cm and Fm, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Every shape above plays only G, B♭ and D, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.