About the C♯ minor chord
The minor chord lowers the third by a semitone, which gives it a darker, sadder colour than the major. It appears in almost every style, from folk to metal. The symbol for it is C♯m. (also written D♭m)
How to play C♯m
- Lay your index finger flat across the top 5 strings at fret 4, pressing just behind the fret.
- Put your middle finger on the B string at fret 5.
- Put your ring finger on the D string at fret 6.
- Put your little finger on the G string at fret 6.
- Strum and don't play the low E string.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of C♯ minor
These are the chords built on each note of the C♯ minor scale, so they all sound good together with C♯m. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other C♯ chords
C♯m chord questions
What notes are in a C♯ minor chord?
C♯ minor is made of C♯, E and G♯. In intervals that is 1, ♭3, 5 above the root, C♯.
What is the easiest way to play C♯m?
The first shape above is the most common one: x 4 6 6 5 4 from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. Start there, and try the other shapes once it feels comfortable.
Is C♯m a barre chord?
The main shape uses a barre, where one finger holds down several strings at once. Press just behind the fret and roll the finger slightly onto its side.