🎸 Guitar Tools

🍕 Pizza Tools

Chord Library

Topping Library

C♯ Minor 7th Guitar Chord (C♯m7)

C♯ minor 7th is a four-note chord built from C♯ (the root), E (the minor third), G♯ (the perfect fifth), and B (the minor seventh). It sounds relaxed and soulful — sadness with the corners rounded off. Vamp on it for two bars and you are already halfway to a neo-soul progression. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.

C♯m7 chord shapes — standard tuning

open string × muted / not played 1–4 suggested finger 3fr shape starts at fret 3 R · 3 · 5 · ♭7 chord tone each string sounds
C♯m7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 2fr, frets x-4-2-4-2-4×2R1♭33♭7R45
Barre · 2fr
x-4-2-4-2-4
C♯m7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 4fr, frets x-4-6-4-5-44fr×1R35♭72♭35
Barre · 4fr
x-4-6-4-5-4
C♯m7 guitar chord diagram, 6fr, frets 9-7-9-6-x-x6fr3R2♭34♭71R××
6fr
9-7-9-6-x-x
C♯m7 guitar chord diagram, Barre · 9fr, frets 9-11-9-9-9-99fr1R25♭7♭35R
Barre · 9fr
9-11-9-9-9-9

How to play it

Lay your index finger flat across the top 4 strings (from the D (4th) string up) at fret 2 — that barre is the backbone of this C♯m7 shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 4, your ring finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 4, and your pinky finger on the high E (1st) string at fret 4. Keep the low E (6th) string 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

SymbolIntervalNote
RrootC♯
♭3minor thirdE
5perfect fifthG♯
♭7minor seventhB

C♯m7 FAQ

What notes are in C♯m7?
C♯m7 contains C♯, E, G♯, and B — the root (C♯), the minor third, the perfect fifth, and the minor seventh.

Is C♯m7 a barre chord?
The most common C♯m7 shape (x-4-2-4-2-4) is a barre chord — your index finger bars fret 2 across 4 strings. There is no standard open-position shape for this chord in standard tuning, but the diagrams above include every practical alternative up the neck.

What is the easiest way to play C♯m7 on guitar?
Start with the barre · 2fr shape x-4-2-4-2-4. Lay your index finger flat across the top 4 strings (from the D (4th) string up) at fret 2 — that barre is the backbone of this C♯m7 shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 4, your ring finger on the G (3rd) string at fret 4, and your pinky finger on the high E (1st) string at fret 4. Keep the low E (6th) string out of the strum — start your downstroke from the A (5th) string.