Piano chords · Minor 7th chord

C♯m7 piano chord (C♯ minor seventh)

C♯m7 (also written D♭m7) is a minor seventh chord with 4 notes. It sounds mellow and smooth. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.

C♯EG♯B

C♯ – E – G♯ – B · tap any key to hear it

The notes of C♯m7

C♯m7 is built from 4 notes (1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7):

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

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♯, 2 on E, 3 on G♯, 5 on B.
Left hand: 5 on C♯, 3 on E, 2 on G♯, 1 on B.

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♯ – B
1st inversion	E – G♯ – B – C♯
2nd inversion	G♯ – B – C♯ – E
3rd inversion	B – C♯ – E – G♯

Where C♯m7 belongs

C♯m7 is the ii7 chord in B major, the iii7 chord in A major and the vi7 chord in E major.

C♯m7 is C♯m with a minor seventh, B, added on top, which softens it from sad to smooth.

Hear it in a progression

C♯m7 – F♯7 – Bmaj7: ii – V – I in B major, the backbone of jazz.

Playing it, but it doesn't sound right? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a chord that's uneven. Then it shows you how it should go.

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Questions people ask

What notes are in the C♯m7 chord?

C♯m7 (C♯ minor seventh) is made of C♯, E, G♯ and B: the root, minor third, fifth and minor seventh.

How do you play C♯m7 on piano?

With your right hand, use fingers 1 on C♯, 2 on E, 3 on G♯, 5 on B, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on C♯, 3 on E, 2 on G♯, 1 on B.

How is C♯m7 different from the plain chord?