Tools / Chords / C♯ major 7th

C♯ major 7th chord on bass (C♯maj7)

Also written C♯maj7 or C♯M7

C♯ major 7th contains C♯, E♯, G♯, and B♯. The 9th-fret shape demands a wide pinky stretch across four frets.

9th fret9-11-10-10

Positions on the neck1 of 3

How it’s built

C♯1Root

E♯3Major 3rd

G♯5Perfect 5th

B♯7Major 7th

Formula 1, 3, 5, 7

Positions on the neck1 of 3

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionC♯–E♯–G♯–B♯C♯maj7Bass C♯

First inversionE♯–G♯–B♯–C♯C♯maj7/E♯Bass E♯

Second inversionG♯–B♯–C♯–E♯C♯maj7/G♯Bass G♯

Third inversionB♯–C♯–E♯–G♯C♯maj7/B♯Bass B♯

Why it sounds like that

C♯ major 7th is built from the 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the C♯ major scale. The major 7th interval from C♯ to B♯ gives the chord its bright, resolved quality. Compare it to C♯ major, which omits the B♯ and sounds more plain.

What goes wrong with C♯ major 7th?

Letting the pinky mute the 2nd string by lying flat.
Allowing the index finger to roll off the 4th string.
Plucking the 1st string too hard and making the B♯ ring out harshly.

When to use it

C♯ major 7th is the I chord in C♯ major, as in C♯–F♯–G♯–C♯, the I–IV–V–I. It works for jazz fusion, progressive rock, and atmospheric pop. Use it over C♯ major or C♯ 5th.

Changing to and from C♯ major 7th

Sliding the shape down one fret to the 8th fret gives C major 7th.
From C♯ major 7th, move the pinky from the 3rd string 11th fret to the 2nd string 10th fret to play C♯ major.

Which voicing to use

The 9th-fret shape places C♯ in the bass for a strong root position. The C♯maj7/A♭ inversion at the 4th fret has G♯ in the bass, giving a lighter feel. The C♯maj7/C inversion at the 8th fret puts the leading tone B♯ in the bass, creating tension that resolves to C♯.

How do you play a C♯ major 7th chord on bass?

9th fret

Intermediate● On the diagram

C♯ major 7th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 10 10: index finger on the E string at fret 9, pinky finger on the A string at fret 11, middle finger on the D string at fret 10 and ring finger on the G string at fret 10.

Tip — The pinky must reach the 11th fret on the 3rd string while the index stays at the 9th fret, stretching the hand.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	9	1	C♯ (1)
3 (A)	11	4	G♯ (5)
2 (D)	10	2	B♯ (7)
1 (G)	10	3	E♯ (3)

C♯maj7/G♯ inversion

Intermediate

C♯ major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 4 4 3 5: middle finger on the E string at fret 4, ring finger on the A string at fret 4, index finger on the D string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 5.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	4	2	G♯ (5)
3 (A)	4	3	C♯ (1)
2 (D)	3	1	E♯ (3)
1 (G)	5	4	B♯ (7)

C♯maj7/B♯ inversion

Barre

C♯ major 7th is played at the 6th fret as 8 8 6 6: barre your index finger across fret 6, middle finger on the E string at fret 8 and ring finger on the A string at fret 8.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	8	2	B♯ (7)
3 (A)	8	3	E♯ (3)
2 (D)	6	1 (barre)	G♯ (5)
1 (G)	6	1 (barre)	C♯ (1)

Common questions

How is C♯ major 7th written?

C♯ major 7th is written C♯M7 or C♯maj7. The ASCII root spelling is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What is the hardest part of C♯ major 7th?

The hardest part is stretching the pinky to the 11th fret while keeping the index on the 9th fret. Practice the stretch slowly to build flexibility.

How does C♯ major 7th differ from C♯ major?

C♯ major 7th adds the B♯, the major 7th, to the C♯ major triad. That note creates a more sophisticated, jazzy sound.

Can C♯ major 7th be played in a lower register?

Yes, the C♯maj7/A♭ inversion at the 4th fret sits lower on the neck. It sounds warmer and is easier to reach.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

C♯ (1)

3 (A)

G♯ (5)

2 (D)

B♯ (7)

1 (G)

E♯ (3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

G♯ (5)

3 (A)

C♯ (1)

2 (D)

E♯ (3)

1 (G)

B♯ (7)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

B♯ (7)

3 (A)

E♯ (3)

2 (D)

1 (barre)

G♯ (5)

1 (G)

1 (barre)

C♯ (1)