Everything was so new to me when I got introduced to the piano. My favorite thing was, placing the fingers softly on each key and getting excited to hear a tone. I patiently learned the scales and chords. Understanding the structure and playing it on my own was a bingo! I learned many chords, but learning how to play Gm piano chord was really fun. My fondness for this particular chord was something else. This beautiful chord makes you travel all the way from anxiety and restlessness to curiosity and excitement. Let's learn this today.
What is Gm Piano Chord? When you play 3 notes together on the piano, you ultimately create a chord. It can be a triad, i.e., playing 3 notes with different tones. We can refer the Gm chord as Gm Triad as well. The basic formula for playing any minor chord is 1 - Flat 3 - 5. So, the Gm triad structure is the root note, flat 3rd, and the perfect 5th. So, the G Minor chord formula will be- Gm Chord = G - B♭ - D
Whenever you are learning a chord, you must know the scale because all the chords are derived out of scale.
What Scale is Used in Gm Minor Chord? We can also call it the G Minor Scale Formula. The 7 notes form the G Minor scale. In this natural minor scale, there are 2 flats - B♭ and E♭.
G Minor Scale Formula
Finger position to play Gm scale There is a reason a particular finger is allotted to a specific key. It makes it easier to play them without stretching the fingers much. There is no rule, as you don’t know what will work for you until you try. But the basic rules are made to make the process accessible: Allotting a finger to a specific key on piano makes it easier to play without stretching fingers much. There is no rule for finger position, as you don’t know what will work for you until you try. But, here are some basic rules about which finger to use on which key:
Before you learn the Gm chord, you must know how to play the Gm scale with appropriate fingers: The Gm Scale: G A B♭ C D E♭ F G
Gm Scale With the Right Hand
This way, you can play in ascending order. Use the same fingers while coming down.
Gm Scale With the Left Hand
Use this fingering technique to play the Gm scale in ascending order and with the same fingers while coming back to the lower G. Once you learn to play the scale with one hand, try playing it with both hands. It will take time to get comfortable with the keys and fingering. But with practice, you will be able to play with smoothness.
How to Play Gm Piano Chord? There is not a perfect set of fingering to play the chord. But as a beginner, you can try playing both ways.
Right-Hand Playing Method 1:
Place your 1st finger (Thumb) on G
Move your 2nd finger (Index) on Bb
Finally, place your 4th finger (Ring) on D
Then play G of the higher octave with the 5th finger (Pinky).
Playing G of the next or higher octave along with the standard G Minor gives depth and richness to the chord. Method 2:
Place your 1st finger (Thumb) on G
Move your 3rd finger (Middle) on Bb
Now, place your 5th finger (Pinky) on D
Left-Hand Playing Method 1:
Place your 4th finger (Ring) on G
Move your 2nd finger (Index) on Bb
Finally, place your 1st finger (Thumb) on D
Method 2:
Place your 5th finger (Pinky) on G
Move your 3rd finger (Middle) on Bb
Now, place your 1st finger (Thumb) on D
These are the easy-fingering positions for beginners. Once you get used to the chord shape, you will be able to play it comfortably.
Inversions of Gm chord You can also play the 3 notes of Gm chord by rearranging them. This is also known as Inversions in music. For instance, 3 - 5 - 1 or 5 - 1 - 3. Root placement: 1 3 5 = G - B♭ - D 1st Inversion: 3 5 1 = B♭ - D - G 2nd Inversion: 5 1 3 = D - B♭ - G The inversion doesn’t change the formula. It just creates another melodic tone.
Gm7 Chord The Gm 7 chord adds flavors to the standard minor. The interval formation goes like root note, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. So, the Gm 7 chord becomes: G - Bb - D - F
G Minor Triad Chords Chords originate from scales and scale can form many chords by changing the placements. Here, let’s see some G Minor Triad chords.
The Standard G Minor Piano Chord: G Bb D
A Diminished: A C Eb
The Bb Major: Bb D F
The C Minor: C Eb G
The D Minor: D F A
The Eb Major: Eb G Bb
The F Major: F A C
The Gm is a beautiful and easy-going chord. It does create different expressions and emotions when you play.
Gm Piano Chord Progressions By connecting the notes of the Gm scale, you can form melodic Gm chord progressions. The beauty of the progressions is that, they create many expressions just by rearranging the notes of the same scale.
Chord progressions in the Gm key
G minor - Eb - F
Gm - C minor - F
Gm - Cm - D minor
Gm - Eb - Bb - F
The Gm chord has been an integral part of some famous compositions. It sounds anxious yet beautiful and melodic. It has an impact on Folk, classical, jazz, and other genres. Let’s get to know some famous piano songs in G minor.
Popular Songs in Gm Chord
What I’ve done” by the world-famous American Rock Band Linkin Park is a masterpiece in the Gm chord, with more than 550M views.
“Summer Love” from the album Remember (Na Na Na hey hey) in Gm will make you tap your feet and join the rhythm.
Melody queen Ariana Grande’s “Break Free” in Gm chord is a treat to the ears.
FAQs
How can I develop fluency in playing the chords? You can do some piano exercises to get familiar with the keys and motion. Try playing with changing the speed. That will improve the grip on the keys. Also, make sure you are sitting in the right posture. A good posture relaxes your muscles, and you play without wrist or back pain.
Are chords important? Chords are essential to create the framework of the composition. The emotions and expressions in a melody are experienced only because of the chords. For example, some piano songs sound happy and pleasing as those are primarily based on major chords. Whereas, some melodies are sentimental or restless, as you learned with the Gm chord. So, chords have their own characteristics and identity.
