C#7 is a chord with somewhere to go. Add B to a C# major chord and it stops sounding like home: it leans toward F#, major or minor, and that is nearly always where the song takes it next. Its notes are C#, E#, G# and B. E# is the same pitch as F, spelled that way because it is the third of C#. On guitar the main shape is a barre at the fourth fret, with an easier voicing for when the barre is not there yet.
C#7 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: C sharp dominant seventh
- Symbol: C#7
- Notes: C#, E#, G#, B
- Where it belongs: V7 in F# major, V7 in F# minor
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| C#7, C7 shape | x4342x | C# E# B C# without G# | The open C7 shape moved up one fret. No barre, but no G# either: the fifth is the note you can most easily leave out. |
| C#7, barre at the fourth fret | x46464 | C# G# B E# G# | The standard C#7: an A7 shape barred at fret 4, all four notes. |
| C#7, barre at the ninth fret | 9 11 9 10 9 9 | C# G# B E# G# C# | The E7 shape at fret 9, six strings with C# in the bass. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
C#7 on the neck: every C#, F, G#, B
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of C#7: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still C#7.
How to play C#7, step by step
1. Without a barre: x4342x
Play an open C7 (x32310) and move every finger up one fret. Third finger on the fifth string at fret 4 (C#), second finger on the fourth string at fret 3 (E#), fourth finger on the third string at fret 4 (B), first finger on the second string at fret 2 (C#). Mute the low E with the tip of the third finger and leave the high E out. Four notes, no G#: that is fine for a seventh chord.
2. The barre at fret 4: x46464
First finger across fret 4 from the fifth string down. Third finger on the fourth string at fret 6, fourth finger on the second string at fret 6. The third string is played by the barre itself: that fret 4 note is B, the seventh. Press the barre firmly in that spot, it is where the chord gets its color.
3. The ninth fret: 9 11 9 10 9 9
The open E7 shape barred at fret 9. First finger across all six strings, second finger on the third string at fret 10, third finger on the fifth string at fret 11. The fourth string stays on the barre and gives B.
Where C#7 goes: F# and F#m
C#7 is the V7 of F# major and of F# minor. Two of its notes do the work. B, the seventh, falls a step; E#, the third, rises a half step to F#. Play the change slowly and listen to those two strings.
| Change | Shapes | What resolves |
|---|---|---|
| C#7 to F# | x46464 to 244322 | B falls to A#, E# rises to F#. The bright resolution. |
| C#7 to F#m | x46464 to 244222 | B falls to A, E# rises to F#. The darker one, common in soul and rock in F# minor. |
| C#m7, C#7 | x46454 to x46464 | Only the second string moves, E to E#. A classic way to build tension before F#. |
To hear it: Lenny Kravitz's It Ain't Over 'til It's Over uses C#7 next to C# and F#. Every chord of F# major and F# minor is laid out on the chords in every key page.
C#7 next to C#, C#maj7 and C#m7
On the barre at fret 4, these four chords differ by one note each. Learn them as a family and you learn four chords for the price of one.
| Chord | Shape | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C# | x46664 | C#, E#, G# |
| C#7 | x46464 | C#, E#, G#, B |
| C#maj7 | x46564 | C#, E#, G#, B# |
| C#m7 | x46454 | C#, E, G#, B |
The same chord one fret lower, with open strings, is on the C7 page.
Common C#7 mistakes
| What you hear | Likely cause | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| It sounds like plain C# | A finger lands on the third string at fret 6 | Leave the third string to the barre: B at fret 4 is the seventh. |
| The third string buzzes | The barre is weak in the middle | Move the first finger right behind the fret and roll it slightly onto its edge. |
| A low growl under the chord | The open low E rings, and E is not in C#7 | Start the strum on the fifth string. |
Frequently asked questions
How do you play C#7 on guitar?
What notes are in a C#7 chord?
Is there an easier C#7 without a barre?
What chord does C#7 resolve to?
What is the difference between C#7 and C#maj7?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.