C#7 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)
From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios
Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.
C#7 is built from C#, E#, G# and B. C# is the root, E# the major third, G# the fifth and B the minor seventh. Said aloud, its notes are C sharp, E sharp, G sharp and B.
From the low string to the high one you hear C#, G#, B, E# and G#. The note heard most is G#, twice. It is not the root but the fifth. The lowest note is C# on string 5 and the highest is G# on string 1.
You play C#7 with a barre at fret 4. String 6 stays silent. Everything fits between frets 4 and 6. The second shape on this page starts at fret 9.
C#m7 is one change away. String 2 moves from fret 6 to fret 5, bringing in E, the minor third of C#m7. It shares two notes with A#m, C# and E#. Going to Db, four positions stay the same. It can also be written Db7, and it sounds the same.
C#7 belongs to two keys. In F# major it is the V7 and in F# minor the V7.
C# 1E# 3G# 5B ♭7
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 4 (C#)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 4. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 6, 2nd String (B) at fret 6. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Barre fret 9. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 11, 3rd String (G) at fret 10.
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 4 to 6 |
| Barre | fret 4, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 4, only the barre sounds the 5th, 3rd, and 1st strings.
Listen: C#7 → Db7 · Db · Abm
C#7 sits in the scale of 2 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the C#7 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.
The primary bass note of the C#7 chord is its root note: C#. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 4.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The C#7 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Dominant Seventh). Its constituent pitches are C#, E#, G#, B.
To prevent fret buzz on the C#7 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
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