C#m has no open version. It shows up as soon as a song is in E, A or B, and it asks for a barre at the fourth fret. The good news: it is exactly the B minor shape moved up two frets, and you can build it in layers. Top four strings first, then the root on the fifth string, then the barre. Every layer is a real C sharp minor, so you can play the song while the next layer settles in.
C#m chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: C sharp minor
- Symbol: C#m
- Notes: C#, E, G#
- Where it belongs: vi in E major, iii in A major, ii in B major, i in C# minor, iv in G# 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#m, four strings | xx6654 | G# C# E G# | The way in: no barre, top four strings. G# sits in the bass, so it sounds lighter than the full chord. |
| C#m, with the C# bass | x4665x | C# G# C# E | Adds C# on the fifth string, so the chord stands on its root. Still no barre: the high E is left out. |
| C#m, barre | x46654 | C# G# C# E G# | The standard C sharp minor: the A minor shape moved up four frets, first finger as the nut. |
| C#m, ninth fret | 9 11 11 9 9 9 | C# G# C# E G# C# | The E minor shape barred at the ninth fret. All six strings, for songs that already sit high on the neck. |
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#m on the neck: every C#, E, G#
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of C#m: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still C#m.
How to play C#m, one layer at a time
1. Four strings: xx6654
First finger on the high E at fret 4, second finger on the B string at fret 5, third finger on the D string at fret 6, fourth finger on the G string at fret 6. Strum only the top four strings. You hear G#, C#, E and G#: a complete C sharp minor.
2. Add the root: x4665x
Move the first finger to the fifth string (A) at fret 4. That note is C#, the root, and the chord now sounds anchored. Leave the high E out for now.
3. The barre: x46654
Lay the first finger flat from the fifth string to the first at fret 4. It only has to sound two notes, C# on the fifth string and G# on the first: the other fingers cover the strings in between. Keep the low E silent.
C#m, Cm or C#: read the chart twice
The sharp and the small "m" each change one note. These three chords are easy to mix up on a chord chart, and they use nearly the same hand shape.
| Chord | Notes | Shape | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| C#m | C#, E, G# | x46654 | This page. |
| Cm | C, Eb, G | x35343 | Everything one fret lower. |
| C# | C#, E#, G# | x46664 | Only the B string moves, from fret 5 (E) to fret 6 (E#, the same pitch as F). |
That single fret on the B string is the whole difference between minor and major. Play x46654 and x46664 back to back and listen to the mood change. C sharp major has its own page: C# chord.
Getting in and out of C#m
In the key of E, C#m is the relative minor, and it sits next to E, A and B in a huge number of songs. Practice each change slowly, four beats per chord.
| Change | Shapes | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| E, C#m, A, B | 022100, x46654, x02220, x24442 | The I vi IV V of E major. Use xx6654 until the barre lands on time. |
| C#m to F#m | x46654 to 244222 | The first finger slides from a fifth string barre at fret 4 to a full barre at fret 2. Keep it on the strings while it travels. |
| Bm to C#m | x24432 to x46654 | The same shape, two frets up. Freeze the hand and slide it as one block. |
| C#m to G# | x46654 to 466544 | The i to V of C sharp minor. The barre stays at fret 4 and grows to all six strings. |
Where you will hear C#m
C sharp minor is the vi of E major, the iii of A major and the ii of B major, three keys guitarists use constantly. Three songs make it obvious:
- The Pixies' Where Is My Mind moves between E, C#m, G# and A.
- Ed Sheeran's Shape of You loops C#m, F#m, A and B.
- The Cure's Boys Don't Cry climbs A, Bm, C#m, D: the Bm and C#m are the same barre shape, two frets apart.
Every chord of every key is laid out on the chords in every key page. When the seventh joins in, the chord becomes C#m7; with G# in the bass, it is C#m/G#.
Why your C#m buzzes, and the fix
| What you hear | Likely cause | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| The high E is muffled | The barre sits in the middle of the fret, or on a crease | Slide it right behind the fret wire and roll it onto its bony edge. |
| The B string dies | The third or fourth finger leans on it | Arch those fingers and press with the very tips. |
| A boomy, unclear bass | The open low E rings. E belongs to C#m, but at the bottom it takes the bass away from C# | Start the strum on the fifth string, or touch the low E with the first fingertip. |
| The hand tires fast | Thumb too high, squeezing instead of pinching | Thumb behind the neck, roughly opposite the second finger. Press less once the placement is right. |
Frequently asked questions
How do you play a C#m chord on guitar?
Is there an easy C#m chord without a barre?
What notes are in a C sharp minor chord?
Is C#m the same as Dbm?
Is C#m the same as Cm?
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.