C# guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a · Classic Ascending (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The thumb plays C# on the 5th and the three top strings add up to 3 different notes. All 6 arpeggios
Steady bass with uniform ascending movement.
Play C# one string at a time and you hear C#, E# and G#. C# is the root, E# the major third and G# the fifth. Said aloud, its notes are C sharp, E sharp and G sharp.
String by string, low to high, it plays C#, G#, C#, E# and G#. Of the five strings you play, two give C#, the note that names the chord. It runs from C# on string 5 up to G# on string 1.
The main C# shape needs a barre at fret 4 across five strings. Avoid string 6. Your hand covers three frets, from 4 to 6. There is one more position, starting at fret 9.
Change only string 2 in C# and you have C#m. C# and A#m have C# and E# in common. Db7 shares four positions with this shape. Db is the same chord under another name.
C# belongs to seven keys. In C# major it is the I, in F# major the V and in G# major the IV. The rest appear in the key list.
C# 1E# 3G# 5
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, 3rd String (G) 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, 4th String (D) 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 | 4 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 4, only the barre sounds the 5th and 1st strings.
Listen: C# → Db · Db7 · Ab
C# sits in the scale of 7 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the C# 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# 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# chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 formula (Major Triad). Its constituent pitches are C#, E#, G#.
To prevent fret buzz on the C# 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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