What notes are in a C♯m7 chord?

C♯m7 contains four notes: C♯ (root), E (minor third), G♯ (perfect fifth), and B (minor seventh).

What key does C♯m7 belong to?

C♯m7 is the iim7 of B major and the vim7 of E major. As the im7 of C♯ minor, the chord serves as a modal-jazz tonic without needing to resolve.

How do you play C♯m7 on guitar?

Most commonly a 4th-fret A-shape barre: index across strings 5-1 on fret 4, ring finger on the 6th fret of the 4th string, middle finger on the 4th fret of the 3rd string, pinky on the 5th fret of the 2nd string.

Is C♯m7 the same as D♭m7?

Enharmonically yes. D♭m7 (D♭-F♭-A♭-C♭) is essentially never written because of the F♭ and C♭ accidentals; C♯m7 is the standard spelling.

C# minor 7 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

C♯ minor 7 (C♯m7) — C♯, E, G♯, B — is C♯ minor with a minor 7th on top. The chord is the iim7 of B major (cadencing C♯m7 → F♯7 → Bmaj7) and the im7 of C♯ minor in modal contexts. Many jazz singers transpose tunes to B major for vocal range, putting C♯m7 in the iim7 slot constantly.

Intervals

The C# minor 7 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

C#→Eminor 3rd3 semitones
E→G#major 3rd4 semitones
G#→Bminor 3rd3 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the C# minor 7 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the C# minor 7 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

1C#
♭3E
5G#
♭7B

Common mistakes

C♯m7 has B natural as its 7th. The mix of sharps (C♯, G♯) and naturals (E, B) is the chord's signature. Replacing B with B♭ would produce a chord outside the seven-letter-rule. On guitar, C♯m7 is most often a 4th-fret A-shape barre.

In context

C♯m7 is the iim7 of B major (the ii–V–I runs C♯m7 → F♯7 → Bmaj7), the vim7 of E major, and the im7 of C♯ minor. Many jazz ballads in B major use C♯m7 as their primary supertonic chord.

Drill it

The C# minor 7 chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

Open the Chord Trainer →Or try today's Etudle puzzle

Frequently asked

What notes are in a C♯m7 chord?: C♯m7 contains four notes: C♯ (root), E (minor third), G♯ (perfect fifth), and B (minor seventh).
What key does C♯m7 belong to?: C♯m7 is the iim7 of B major and the vim7 of E major. As the im7 of C♯ minor, the chord serves as a modal-jazz tonic without needing to resolve.
How do you play C♯m7 on guitar?: Most commonly a 4th-fret A-shape barre: index across strings 5-1 on fret 4, ring finger on the 6th fret of the 4th string, middle finger on the 4th fret of the 3rd string, pinky on the 5th fret of the 2nd string.
Is C♯m7 the same as D♭m7?: Enharmonically yes. D♭m7 (D♭-F♭-A♭-C♭) is essentially never written because of the F♭ and C♭ accidentals; C♯m7 is the standard spelling.