C♯m chord on guitar

C♯m (C sharp minor) is a minor chord built on C♯. It has 3 notes, C♯, E and G♯, and its formula is 1 ♭3 5.

Notes and intervals of C♯m

From the root upwards, C♯m contains root (C♯), minor 3rd (E) and perfect 5th (G♯). Those intervals give the chord its colour: the formula 1 ♭3 5 works the same way in every key, so once you know it for C♯ you can build the chord on any note.

Degree	Interval	Note
1	root	C♯
♭3	minor 3rd	E
5	perfect 5th	G♯

How to play C♯m on guitar

The first shape above reads x 4 2 1 2 x from the low E string to the high E string (x means you do not play that string, 0 is an open string). The lowest note you play is C♯. The other diagrams show the same chord higher up the neck: pick the one closest to the chords before and after it in your song.

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♯m?

You find C♯m as a diatonic chord in E major (vi), B major (ii) and A major (iii). The most common case is E major, where it plays the role of vi.

Scales to play over C♯m

To improvise over C♯m, start with C sharp natural minor scale. All of these scales contain every note of the chord: C sharp natural minor scale, C sharp harmonic minor scale, C sharp melodic minor scale, C sharp minor pentatonic scale, C sharp blues scale, C sharp Dorian mode and C sharp Phrygian mode. Aim for the chord notes on strong beats and use the other notes to move between them.

About minor chords

The minor chord swaps the major third for a minor third: 1 ♭3 5. That single semitone makes the sound darker, softer and more inward. Minor does not have to mean sad: in funk, Latin music or rock it can sound tough or cool, and it can end a piece just as convincingly as a major chord.

It is the tonic of minor keys (i) and appears on ii, iii and vi in major keys. Typical moves: i iv V (the major V borrowed from harmonic minor), i ♭VI ♭VII, and vi IV I V. Every major chord has a relative minor a minor third below that shares two of its notes.

Start with the open shapes Em, Am and Dm. The movable shapes grow out of them: the E-shape minor barre (root on the 6th string) and the A-shape minor barre (root on the 5th string). Compared with the major barre, only the third moves, one fret lower, so switching between major and minor is quick once your barre is solid.

Reading the symbol wrong is common: 'm' or '-' means minor, while 'M' or 'maj' means major, so Am and AM are different chords. On guitar, the minor third often lies on a string that is easy to mute in a barre. And m is not m7: the 7 adds a fourth note, the minor seventh.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯m chord?

C♯m (C sharp minor) contains C♯, E and G♯. In intervals: root (C♯), minor 3rd (E) and perfect 5th (G♯).

How do you play C♯m on guitar?

The easiest shape is x 4 2 1 2 x, from the low E string to the high E string. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.

What scale goes with C♯m?

C sharp natural minor scale fits C♯m best. Other scales that contain all its notes: C sharp harmonic minor scale, C sharp melodic minor scale, C sharp minor pentatonic scale, C sharp blues scale, C sharp Dorian mode and C sharp Phrygian mode.

What key is C♯m in?

C♯m belongs to E major (vi), B major (ii) and A major (iii). In E major it is the vi chord.

Ready to go further than the chart?

The free GuitarHarmony workshop shows every scale on the whole neck, names any chord you play and builds progressions with you. Free account, no card.

Try it free