This piano lesson is all about the G minor chord. Let’s learn how to play this chord on piano and keyboard. How is this chord formed? Like other minor triads, to build a Gm chord, you combine the root, flat third (minor third) and perfect fifth of the major scale.
First of all let’s take a look at the G major scale. The notes of this scale are G, A, B, C, D, E, F# and G. G is note 1, A is note, 2, B is note 3, C is note four, D is note 5, E is note 6 and F# is note 7 of the G major scale.
To learn more about this chord and others, check out my course, Piano Chords: How To Form Basic Chords On Piano And Keyboard.
To form a G minor chord we will have to lower note 3, B by a half step. Instead of playing B, we must play B flat. The notes of the G minor chord are G – Bb – D as opposed to G major which is made up of the notes, G – B – D. You can form a Gm chord by simply replacing the note, B with B flat?
This chord can be written as follows: Gm, Gmin, and G- (G followed by a minus sign). “G-” is less common.
Minor Chord Intervals
Like other minor chords, the G minor chord is a combination of a minor third and major third interval. G to Bb is a minor third interval while Bb to D is a major third interval.
A minor third interval is three half steps higher than a particular note while a major third interval is four half steps (or two whole steps) higher than a certain note. On your piano, you will notice that Bb is three keys to the right of G. These are 3 semitones (or 3 half steps). D is four keys to the right of Bb. These are four semitones (or four half steps).
Chord Formula
You can form any minor chord with the formula R + 3HS + 4HS (root plus 3 half steps plus four half steps). First of all let’s locate the note G on the keyboard. G is the note immediately after the first black key in the set of three black keys on your piano keyboard. Now that you’ve located C, move three half steps higher (or 3 keys) to Bb, then from Bb, move 4 half steps (or 4 keys) higher to D.
Another way to think of building a minor chord is in terms of skipping keys. Find the root note, G, skip two keys and play the next note, Bb. From Bb, skip 3 keys and play the note, D.
G Minor Chord in Root Position and 1st and 2nd Inversions
In root position, the notes of the G minor chord are G – Bb – D. There are other ways to hold this chord and they are called inversions.
First of all, there’s the first inversion where the notes are in the order, Bb – D – G. Bb is at the lowest note, D is in the middle and G is played one octave higher, at the top.
Then there’s the second inversion of the Gmin chord where D is the lowest note, G is in the middle and Bb is the highest note. The order is D – G – Bb. 
Fingering For Gm Chord
Let’s now learn the fingering for the Gm chord in root position, 1st and 2nd inversions. Thumb = 1. index finger = 2. Middle finger = 3. Ring finger = 4. Little finger = 5.
In root position, the fingering for this chord is 1 – 3 – 5. Thumb plays G, middle finger plays Bb and little (pinky) finger plays D.
For the first inversion, the fingering is 1 – 2 – 5. Thumb plays Bb, index finger plays D and little finger plays G.
For the second inversion, the fingering is 1 – 3 – 4. Thumb plays D, middle finger plays G and ring finger plays Bb.
Video: How To Play the G Minor Chord on Piano and Keyboard
he following are keys where this chord occurs naturally.
In the key of Gmin, the Gmin chord is chord i. In the key of Bb major, it’s chord vi. In the key of Dmin, it’s chord iv. In the key of F major, it’s chord ii. In the Cmin key it’s chord v and in the key of Eb, it’s chord iii.
Extensive List of Piano Chords
Learn all about my favorite course for learning how to play piano and keyboard.