C♯m7 chord on piano
C♯m7 (C sharp minor 7th) is a minor 7th chord built on C♯. It has 4 notes, C♯, E, G♯ and B, and its formula is 1 ♭3 5 ♭7.
Notes and intervals of C♯m7
From the root upwards, C♯m7 contains root (C♯), minor 3rd (E), perfect 5th (G♯) and minor 7th (B). Those intervals give the chord its colour: the formula 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 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♯ |
| ♭7 | minor 7th | B |
How to play C♯m7 on piano
Find C♯ and play C♯, E, G♯ and B together. With the right hand, a common fingering is 1-2-3-5. With the left hand, reverse it (5-3-2-1). Keep your wrist level and let the fingers curve, so all 4 keys go down at the same time.
Inversions of C♯m7
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts another one in the bass. C♯m7 has 3 inversions besides root position: 1st inversion (E G♯ B C♯), 2nd inversion (G♯ B C♯ E) and 3rd inversion (B C♯ E G♯). Inversions let you move between chords with tiny hand movements, which is how pianists make progressions sound smooth.
Which keys use C♯m7?
You find C♯m7 as a diatonic chord in E major (vi7), B major (ii7) and A major (iii7). The most common case is E major, where it plays the role of vi7.
Scales to play over C♯m7
To improvise over C♯m7, start with C sharp natural minor scale. All of these scales contain every note of the chord: C sharp natural 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 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.
Root position 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 works fine, but jazz pianists often play the root and ♭7 in the left hand and the ♭3 and 5 (or ♭3, 5, 9) in the right. In ii7 V7 I, voice-lead: the ♭3 of ii7 stays as the ♭7 of V7, and the ♭7 of ii7 slides down a semitone to the 3 of V7.
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 piano?
Play C♯, E, G♯ and B together with the right-hand fingering 1-2-3-5. You can also play it in 3 inversions, shown on this page.
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 guitar
- 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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