Explore chords · Guitar
C♯ chord on guitar (C♯ major)
Also called or written C♯, C♯maj, C♯M or C♯ chord
C♯ major contains the notes C♯, E♯, and G♯. The 4th fret barre shape is a test of finger independence.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5
- Root positionC♯–E♯–G♯C♯×-4-6-6-6-4
- First inversionE♯–G♯–C♯C♯/E♯×-×-3-1-2-1
- Second inversionG♯–C♯–E♯C♯/G♯4-4-6-6-6-4
How do you play a C♯ major chord on guitar?
C♯ major is played at the 4th fret as × 4 6 6 6 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, middle finger on the D string at fret 6, ring finger on the G string at fret 6 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 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
IntermediateThe index barre must fret the A string and high e cleanly while the other fingers stretch to the 6th fret.
9th fret
C♯ major is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 11 10 9 9: barre your index finger across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 2 | E♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
C♯/E♯ inversion · fret 1
C♯ major is played at the 1st fret as × × 3 1 2 1: pinky finger on the D string at fret 3, index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the B string at fret 2 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. 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) | 3 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | E♯ (3) |
C♯/E♯ inversion · fret 6
C♯ major is played at the 6th fret as × 8 6 6 6 ×: barre your index finger across fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 4 | 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) | muted | — | — |
C♯/E♯ inversion · fret 11
C♯ major is played at the 11th fret as 13 11 11 13 × ×: ring finger on the low 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. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, with the major third E♯ giving it its bright quality. Compare it to C♯ minor, which lowers the third to E.
What goes wrong with C♯ major?
- Letting the low E string sound through, which is outside the chord.
- Not pressing the barre hard enough, causing the high e to buzz.
When to use it
C♯ major is the tonic in C♯ major, so it anchors progressions like C♯–F♯–G♯, the I–IV–V. It also appears in A♭ major and F♯ major keys. Use it for jazz, fusion, and rock.
Changing to and from C♯ major
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 2nd fret gives B major.
- From C♯ major to F♯ major, move the barre to the 2nd fret and adjust the other fingers to the F♯ shape.
Which voicing to use
The 4th fret barre shape is the standard, but the C♯/F inversion with E♯ in the bass offers a different sound. The 9th fret barre shape gives a higher voicing.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ major written?
C♯ major is written as C♯, C♯maj, or C♯M. On a keyboard, use the ASCII root C#. 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 changes the chord from bright to somber.
Why is the low E string muted in the 4th fret C♯ major shape?
The low E is not a chord tone, so it must be muted to avoid a dissonant sound.