C♯ chord on bass (C♯ major)

Also called or written C♯, C♯maj, C♯M or C♯ chord

C♯ major contains the notes C♯, E♯, and G♯. This intermediate shape stretches the fretting hand across four frets, making clean note separation the main challenge.

Positions on the neck1 of 4

Practice C♯ major chord

How it is built

C♯RootE♯Major thirdG♯Perfect fifth

Formula 1, 3, 5

Inversions

Root positionC♯–E♯–G♯C♯9-11-11-10
First inversionE♯–G♯–C♯C♯/E♯13-11-11-13
Second inversionG♯–C♯–E♯C♯/G♯4-4-3-×

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

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

Full note and interval breakdown

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

IntermediateThe stretch from the index finger on the 9th fret to the pinky on the 11th fret requires wide finger independence.

C♯/E♯ inversion

C♯ major is played at the 11th fret as 13 11 11 13: ring finger on the E string at fret 13, index finger on the A string at fret 11, middle finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 13.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	13	3	E♯ (3)
3 (A)	11	1	G♯ (5)
2 (D)	11	2	C♯ (1)
1 (G)	13	4	G♯ (5)

C♯/G♯ inversion · fret 3

C♯ major is played at the 3rd fret as 4 4 3 ×: middle finger on the E string at fret 4, ring finger on the A string at fret 4 and index finger on the D string at fret 3. The G string stays muted.

Full note and interval 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)	muted	—	—

C♯/G♯ inversion · fret 10

C♯ major is played at the 10th fret as × 11 11 10: middle finger on the A string at fret 11, ring finger on the D string at fret 11 and index finger on the G string at fret 10. The E string stays muted.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	muted	—	—
3 (A)	11	2	G♯ (5)
2 (D)	11	3	C♯ (1)
1 (G)	10	1	E♯ (3)

Why it sounds like that

C♯ major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5: root C♯, major third E♯, and perfect fifth G♯. The major third, four semitones above the root, gives the chord its bright, stable quality. Lower that third by one semitone to E and you get C♯ minor, the parallel minor with a darker sound.

What goes wrong with C♯ major?

Letting the ring finger flatten onto the 2nd string, causing a buzz.
Not pressing the pinky firmly enough on the 2nd string, producing a muted note.

When to use it

C♯ major appears as the I chord in the I–IV–V–I progression C♯–F♯–G♯–C♯ in C♯ major. It also works as the IV chord in G♯ major and the V chord in F♯ major. Use C♯ major for bright rock, country, and pop bass lines that need a strong root.

Changing to and from C♯ major

Sliding the shape down two frets to the 7th fret gives B major.
Sliding the shape up one fret to the 10th fret gives D major.

Which voicing to use

The 9th fret voicing puts the root C♯ in the bass, giving a solid, grounded sound. For a lighter feel, use the C♯/F inversion, which places the third in the bass and adds forward motion. The C♯/A♭ inversion with the fifth in the bass works well when you want a less assertive low end.

Other C♯ chords

Common questions

How is C♯ major written in chord charts?

C♯ major is written as C♯, C♯maj, or C♯M. The ASCII root is C#, so you may see C# major. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What is the difference between C♯ major and C♯ minor?

C♯ major has a major third (E♯), while C♯ minor has a minor third (E). This single note changes the chord from bright to dark. The fifth, G♯, is the same in both chords.

Can I play C♯ major in a lower register?

Yes, the C♯/A♭ inversion at the 4th fret on the 4th and 3rd strings and 3rd fret on the 2nd. String omits the high G string. This voicing sits lower and works well when the bass needs to stay out of the guitar's range.