C♯m7 chord on guitar
The C♯m7 chord, or C sharp minor 7th, stacks 4 notes on C♯: C♯, E, G♯ and B. Musicians write its formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7.
Notes and intervals of C♯m7
Each note of C♯m7 has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (C♯), minor 3rd (E), perfect 5th (G♯) and minor 7th (B). Change one of these intervals and you get a different chord, which is why the formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 is worth memorising rather than the shape alone.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | C♯ |
| ♭3 | minor 3rd | E |
| 5 | perfect 5th | G♯ |
| ♭7 | minor 7th | B |
How to play C♯m7 on guitar
Start with the first diagram: x 4 6 4 5 4, read from the 6th string (low E) to the 1st string (high E), starting at fret 4. Your lowest note is C♯. The next positions give the same notes in a different order, which is useful when you want C♯m7 to sit closer to the surrounding chords.
This is a barre or movable shape: keep your index finger straight and close to the fret, and press with the side of the finger rather than the flat pad.
Which keys use C♯m7?
C♯m7 appears naturally in 3 major keys: E major (vi7), B major (ii7) and A major (iii7). In E major it is the vi7 chord, so you will meet it in many songs written in that key and in its relative minor.
Scales to play over C♯m7
These scales share every note of C♯m7: C sharp natural minor scale, C sharp minor pentatonic scale, C sharp blues scale, C sharp Dorian mode and C sharp Phrygian mode. C sharp natural minor scale is the safest choice; the others add more colour.
About minor 7th chords
A minor triad plus a minor seventh: 1 ♭3 5 ♭7. Softer and more open than a plain minor chord, the minor seventh is mellow, slightly melancholic and has no urge to resolve. It contains a major triad on its ♭3, which is why it sounds warm rather than dark. For example Am7: A C E G, with C E G inside.
It sits naturally on ii, iii and vi of a major key, and on i, iv and v of the natural minor. Its star role is the ii7 of the ii-V-I: ii7 V7 Imaj7 (for example Dm7 G7 Cmaj7). Funk and soul vamp on one m7 for minutes, and pop uses vi7 and ii7 to soften plain triads.
Start with open Am7 (x02010), Em7 (022030 or 020000) and Dm7 (xx0211). Then learn the E-shape m7 barre (root on the 6th string) and the A-shape m7 barre (root on the 5th string): both are a minor barre with the octave replaced by the ♭7. Funk players love three or four-note versions on the top strings with short, muted strums.
m7 is not m(maj7): Am7 has G, Am(maj7) has G♯. Do not confuse it with m7♭5 either: lower the fifth and you get a half-diminished chord with a much tenser role. Finally, a m7 chord has the same four notes as the 6 chord on its ♭3 (Am7 and C6): the bass note decides which one you hear.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the C♯m7 chord?
C♯m7 (C sharp minor 7th) contains C♯, E, G♯ and B. In intervals: root (C♯), minor 3rd (E), perfect 5th (G♯) and minor 7th (B).
How do you play C♯m7 on guitar?
The easiest shape is x 4 6 4 5 4, from the low E string to the high E string, starting at fret 4. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with C♯m7?
C sharp natural minor scale fits C♯m7 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: C sharp minor pentatonic scale, C sharp blues scale, C sharp Dorian mode and C sharp Phrygian mode.
What key is C♯m7 in?
C♯m7 belongs to E major (vi7), B major (ii7) and A major (iii7). In E major it is the vi7 chord.
Related
- See C♯m7 on piano
- E
- A♭m
- F♯m
- A♭7
- C♯
- C♯m
- C♯7
- C♯maj7
- C♯sus4
- C sharp natural minor scale
- C sharp minor pentatonic scale
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