Guitar chords · Minor
C♯m chord on guitar (C#m)
C♯m (C♯ minor) has three notes: C♯, E and G♯, the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., ♭3 and 5.
Shapes
How to play C♯m
Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7.; the other numbers are the chord tones.
C♯m has no common A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em.. Play it as the A shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 4 or the E shape at fret 9. A A chord or scale fingering with no open strings. Slide it up or down the neck and it changes its root but not its type: a major shape stays major. keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., on the lowest played string, names the chord.
A shape · fret 4
E shape · fret 9
Notes and formula
What makes C♯m minor
A minor chord lowers the 3rd of the major chord by a The smallest distance in Western music: one fret on the guitar, such as E to F or F to F♯.. That one note gives it its darker, sadder colour.
- 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
- 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
- 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.
The ♭3rd makes C♯m a minor chord; you can leave out the 5th.
- C♯Rroot
- E♭3essential
- G♯5optional
- C♯, the root
- Other chord tones
C♯m and D♭m are the same chord with two names: same The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step., same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.
Keys
Keys with C♯m
C♯m belongs to six keys: A major (iii), E major (vi), B major (ii), F♯ minor (v), C♯ minor (i) and G♯ minor (iv).
Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work
Progressions
Progressions with C♯m
Common progressions that use C♯m, each in a key that spells it C♯m. The outlined chord is C♯m.
The pop axis in E major
I – V – vi – IV
- E
- B
- C♯m
- A
Four chords that carry a huge share of modern pop. All four sit next to each other on the circle.
Heard in Let It Be, No Woman No Cry, With or Without You
'50s doo-wop in E major
I – vi – IV – V
- E
- C♯m
- A
- B
The vi chord softens the move from I to IV before the V pulls back home.
Heard in Stand by Me, Every Breath You Take
Minor pop in C♯ minor
i – VI – III – VII
- C♯m
- A
- E
- B
The pop axis rotated to start on the relative minor — same four chords, darker centre.
Heard in Zombie, Numb, Despacito
Andalusian cadence in C♯ minor
i – VII – VI – V
- C♯m
- B
- A
- G♯
A stepwise walk down to a major V borrowed from harmonic minor. Flamenco's signature move.
Heard in Hit the Road Jack, Runaway, Stray Cat Strut
Slash chords
C♯m over another bass note
A A chord with a different note in the bass, written after a slash: C/E is a C chord with E as its lowest note. The letter after the slash is the bass. keeps C♯m on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.
- C♯m/E
C♯m with its ♭3rd, E, in the bass: the first inversion.
- C♯m/G♯
C♯m with its 5th, G♯, in the bass: the second inversion.
- C♯m/B
C♯m over B, a passing bass a Two half steps, or two frets on the guitar, such as C to D. below the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., as in C♯m, C♯m/B, C♯m/A♯, A.
- C♯m/A♯
C♯m over A♯, a passing bass a major 6th above the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., as in C♯m, C♯m/B, C♯m/A♯, A.
Same root
Other chords on C♯ / D♭
Change one or two notes and the same The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7. gives a different colour. Compare them by ear.
- D♭ major
- D♭7 dominant 7th
- D♭maj7 major 7th
- C♯m7 minor 7th
- D♭sus2 suspended 2nd
- D♭sus4 suspended 4th
- D♭6 major 6th
- C♯m6 minor 6th
- D♭add9 add 9
- D♭9 dominant 9th
- D♭maj9 major 9th
- C♯m9 minor 9th
- D♭13 dominant 13th
- D♭maj13 major 13th
- C♯m11 minor 11th
- C♯° diminished
- C♯m7♭5 half-diminished 7th
- C♯°7 diminished 7th
- D♭+ augmented
- D♭5 power chord
- D♭7sus4 dominant 7th suspended 4th
- C♯m(maj7) minor major 7th
- D♭6/9 six-nine
- C♯m(add9) minor add 9
- D♭7♯9 dominant 7th sharp 9th
Questions
C♯m, in short
- What notes are in the C♯m chord?
- C♯m (C♯ minor) has three notes: C♯, E and G♯, the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., ♭3 and 5.
- How do you play C♯m on guitar?
- C♯m has no common A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em.. Play it as the A shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 4 or the E shape at fret 9.
- What key is C♯m in?
- C♯m belongs to six keys: A major (iii), E major (vi), B major (ii), F♯ minor (v), C♯ minor (i) and G♯ minor (iv).
- Is C♯m the same as D♭m?
- Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. C♯m is the spelling in A major, E major, B major, F♯ minor, C♯ minor and G♯ minor; D♭m only in C♭ major and A♭ minor, which most players write as B major and G♯ minor.