C♯ Dominant 7th Guitar Chord (C♯7)
C♯ dominant 7th is a four-note chord built from C♯ (the root), E♯ (the major third), G♯ (the perfect fifth), and B (the minor seventh). It has that gritty, unresolved dominant-seventh bite. In a 12-bar blues in C♯ it can sit on the tension all night; in other keys it is the V7 chord pushing hard toward home. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.
C♯7 chord shapes — standard tuning
How to play it
Place your index finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 2, your middle finger on the D (4th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the A (5th) string at fret 4, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 4. Keep the low E (6th) and high E (1st) strings out of the strum — start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.
Once that shape is comfortable, try the other 3 voicings above — same notes, different neck positions and textures.
Notes in this chord
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | C♯ |
| 3 | major third | E♯ (same pitch as F) |
| 5 | perfect fifth | G♯ |
| ♭7 | minor seventh | B |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see C♯7 in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More C♯ chords
Nearby dominant 7th chords
C♯7 FAQ
What notes are in C♯7?
C♯7 contains C♯, E♯, G♯, and B — the root (C♯), the major third, the perfect fifth, and the minor seventh.
Is C♯7 a barre chord?
Not necessarily. The easiest C♯7 shape (x-4-3-4-2-x) needs no barre — it uses 4 fingers. Barre versions exist too, starting at fret 4, and are handy when you want to move the same grip to other keys.
What is the easiest way to play C♯7 on guitar?
Start with the 2fr shape x-4-3-4-2-x. Place your index finger on the B (2nd) string at fret 2, your middle finger on the D (4th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the A (5th) string at fret 4, and your pinky finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 4. Keep the low E (6th) and high E (1st) strings out of the strum — start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.