Piano chords · Minor chord

C♯m piano chord (C♯ minor)

C♯m (also written D♭m) is a minor chord with 3 notes. It sounds darker, more wistful. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.

C♯EG♯

C♯ – E – G♯ · tap any key to hear it

The notes of C♯m

C♯m is built from 3 notes (1 – ♭3 – 5):

C♯, the root
E, the minor third
G♯, the fifth

C♯ and G♯ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching.

Fingering

Right hand: 1 on C♯, 3 on E, 5 on G♯.
Left hand: 5 on C♯, 3 on E, 1 on G♯.

Press every key at exactly the same moment, with the same weight. If one note sounds louder or a fraction late, the chord sounds uneven: play it slowly and listen for one sound.

Inversions

An inversion is the same notes in a different order, with a different note at the bottom. Inversions let you move between chords without jumping around the keyboard.

Position	Notes, bottom to top
Root position	C♯ – E – G♯
1st inversion	E – G♯ – C♯
2nd inversion	G♯ – C♯ – E

Where C♯m belongs

C♯m is the ii chord in B major, the iii chord in A major and the vi chord in E major, and the home chord of C♯ minor. Its relative major is E, which shares two of its notes.

C♯ is the same chord with the middle note a half step higher (E becomes E♯), which turns it from dark to bright.

Hear it in a progression

C♯m – A – E – B: i – VI – III – VII, a classic minor-key progression.

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Questions people ask

What notes are in the C♯m chord?

C♯m (C♯ minor) is made of C♯, E and G♯: the root, minor third and fifth.

How do you play C♯m on piano?

With your right hand, use fingers 1 on C♯, 3 on E, 5 on G♯, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on C♯, 3 on E, 1 on G♯.

What's the difference between C♯m and C♯?