Explore chords · Guitar
C♯ minor 7th chord on guitar (C♯m7)
Also called or written C♯m7 or C♯min7
C♯ minor 7th contains C♯, E, G♯, and B. The 2nd fret voicing is a barre chord that demands a strong index finger.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7
- Root positionC♯–E–G♯–BC♯m7×-4-2-4-2-4
- First inversionE–G♯–B–C♯C♯m7/E0-2-2-1-2-0
- Second inversionG♯–B–C♯–EC♯m7/G♯4-2-2-4-2-4
- Third inversionB–C♯–E–G♯C♯m7/B×-2-2-1-2-0
How do you play a C♯ minor 7th chord on guitar?
C♯ minor 7th is played at the 2nd fret as × 4 2 4 2 4: barre your index finger across fret 2, middle finger on the A string at fret 4, ring finger on the G string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 4. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 3 | B (♭7) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
AdvancedThe index finger must barre the D and B strings at the 2nd fret while the pinky stretches to the 4th fret on the high E string.
4th fret
C♯ minor 7th is played at the 4th fret as × 4 6 4 5 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, pinky finger on the D string at fret 6 and ring finger on the B string at fret 5. 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 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | B (♭7) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 3 | E (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
9th fret
C♯ minor 7th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 9 9 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
11th fret
C♯ minor 7th is played at the 11th fret as × × 11 13 12 12: index finger on the D string at fret 11, pinky finger on the G string at fret 13, middle finger on the B string at fret 12 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 12. 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 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 2 | B (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 3 | E (♭3) |
C♯m7/E inversion
C♯ minor 7th is played in open position as 0 2 2 1 2 0: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, ring finger on the D string at fret 2, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 2. The low E and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (♭7) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 3 | E (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ minor 7th is built from 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The ♭7 adds a mellow edge to the minor triad. Compare it with C♯ minor, which has no seventh.
What goes wrong with C♯ minor 7th?
- The barre fails to press the B string, causing a dead note.
- The pinky touches the G string, muting it.
- The low E string rings out because the index finger doesn't mute it.
When to use it
C♯ minor 7th works in the I–V–vi–IV progression in E major: E major–B major–C♯ minor–A major. It suits rock, pop, and ballads.
Changing to and from C♯ minor 7th
- Slide the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret to get <a href="/guitar/d-minor-7-chord">D minor 7th</a>.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret barre is the standard voicing. The 4th fret barre is easier to play because the frets are closer together. The C♯m7/E inversion puts the third in the bass for a darker sound.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ minor 7th written?
C♯ minor 7th is written as C♯min7 or C♯m7. The ASCII root is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between C♯ minor 7th and C♯ minor?
C♯ minor 7th adds the note B to the C♯ minor triad. That B is a minor 7th above C♯, giving the chord a softer, more colorful sound.
Why is the low E string muted in the 2nd fret voicing?
The low E is a chord tone, but muting it keeps the bass note on the A string. This preserves the intended voicing and root position.