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C♯ major 7th chord on guitar (C♯maj7)
Also called or written C♯maj7 or C♯M7
C♯ major 7th contains C♯, E♯, G♯, and B♯. The 4th fret shape uses a barre across the fourth fret, making it a demanding grip.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7
- Root positionC♯–E♯–G♯–B♯C♯maj7×-4-6-5-6-4
- First inversionE♯–G♯–B♯–C♯C♯maj7/E♯1-3-3-1-2-1
- Second inversionG♯–B♯–C♯–E♯C♯maj7/G♯4-4-3-5-×-×
- Third inversionB♯–C♯–E♯–G♯C♯maj7/B♯×-3-3-1-2-1
How do you play a C♯ major 7th chord on guitar?
C♯ major 7th is played at the 4th fret as × 4 6 5 6 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the D string at fret 6, middle finger on the G string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 6. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 5 | 2 | B♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and high E cleanly while the pinky reaches the 6th fret of the B string.
9th fret
C♯ major 7th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 10 10 9 9: barre your index finger across 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.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | B♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
11th fret
C♯ major 7th is played at the 11th fret as × × 11 13 13 13: index finger on the D string at fret 11, middle finger on the G string at fret 13, ring finger on the B string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 13. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 3 | B♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
C♯maj7/E♯ inversion · fret 1
C♯ major 7th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 3 1 2 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, ring finger on the A string at fret 3, pinky finger on the D string at fret 3 and middle finger on the B string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | B♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
C♯maj7/E♯ inversion · fret 6
C♯ major 7th is played at the 6th fret as × 8 6 6 6 8: barre your index finger across fret 6, ring finger on the A string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 8. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ major 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 7. The major 7th interval from C♯ to B♯ gives the chord its characteristic color. Compare it with C♯ major, which lacks the 7th.
What goes wrong with C♯ major 7th?
- Letting the low E string ring through adds an outside note.
- Under-barring the high E string causes a dead note.
- Flattening the middle finger onto the B string mutes the E♯.
When to use it
C♯ major 7th is the tonic in C♯ major, so it works in the I–IV–V–I progression C♯–F♯–G♯–C♯. It also suits the I–V–vi–IV of C♯–G♯–A♯ minor–F♯. Use it for jazz, pop ballads, or any style needing a smooth major sound.
Changing to and from C♯ major 7th
- Sliding the 4th fret shape down two frets to the 2nd fret gives B major 7th.
- Move to D major 7th by sliding the shape up one fret to the 5th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 4th fret shape keeps C♯ as the bass note and is the default. The 9th fret shape uses a barre for a fuller sound, while the 11th fret shape drops the low strings for a lighter texture.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ major 7th written?
C♯ major 7th is written as 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 difference between C♯ major 7th and C♯ major?
C♯ major 7th adds the B♯, a major 7th above C♯. C♯ major contains only C♯, E♯, and G♯.
Why does the 4th fret shape mute the low E string?
The low E is not a chord tone, so muting it prevents an outside note from sounding.