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Guitar chords · Minor 7th

C♯m7 chord on guitar (C#m7)

C♯m7 (C♯ minor 7th) has four notes: C♯, E, G♯ and B, the , ♭3, 5 and ♭7.

Shapes

How to play C♯m7

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

C♯m7 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 4 or the E shape at fret 9. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 4

    4fr×R5♭7♭35C♯G♯BEG♯
  • E shape · fret 9

    9frR5♭7♭35RC♯G♯BEG♯C♯
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes C♯m7 minor 7th

A minor is a minor chord with a minor 7th added. It is mellower than a plain minor chord, and it is the ii chord of the ii–V–I in jazz and soul.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd and the ♭7th make C♯m7 a minor ; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. C♯Rroot
  2. E♭3essential
  3. G♯5optional
  4. B♭7essential
EADGBE0135791215C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯EG♯BEBEG♯BEG♯BEG♯BEG♯BEG♯BEG♯BE
  • C♯, the root
  • Other chord tones

C♯m7 often leads to F♯7 and then B: the ii7–V7–I of B major.

C♯m7 and D♭m7 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with C♯m7

C♯m7 belongs to six keys: A major (iii7), E major (vi7), B major (ii7), F♯ minor (v7), C♯ minor (i7) and G♯ minor (iv7).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Progressions

Progressions with C♯m7

Common progressions that use C♯m7, each in a key that spells it C♯m7. The outlined chord is C♯m7.

  • Jazz ii–V–I in B major

    ii7 – V7 – Imaj7

    1. C♯m7
    2. F♯7
    3. Bmaj7

    Each chord falls a fifth to the next — a walk anticlockwise around the circle.

    Heard in Autumn Leaves, Fly Me to the Moon

  • Minor ii–V–i in C♯ minor

    iiø7 – V7 – i7

    1. D♯m7♭5
    2. G♯7
    3. C♯m7

    Half-diminished ii, dominant V7 and back to the minor tonic.

    Heard in Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves

Slash chords

C♯m7 over another bass note

A keeps C♯m7 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • C♯m7/E

    C♯m7 with its ♭3rd, E, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • C♯m7/G♯

    C♯m7 with its 5th, G♯, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • C♯m7/B

    C♯m7 with its ♭7th, B, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

C♯m7, in short

What notes are in the C♯m7 chord?
C♯m7 (C♯ minor 7th) has four notes: C♯, E, G♯ and B, the , ♭3, 5 and ♭7.
How do you play C♯m7 on guitar?
C♯m7 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 4 or the E shape at fret 9.
What key is C♯m7 in?
C♯m7 belongs to six keys: A major (iii7), E major (vi7), B major (ii7), F♯ minor (v7), C♯ minor (i7) and G♯ minor (iv7).
Is C♯m7 the same as D♭m7?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. C♯m7 is the spelling in A major, E major, B major, F♯ minor, C♯ minor and G♯ minor; D♭m7 only in C♭ major and A♭ minor, which most players write as B major and G♯ minor.
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