AdvancedMinor

C#m Chord

The C#m is a minor chord that sounds darker, more melancholic, and expressive. Minor chords add emotional depth and drama. The lowered third gives them their characteristic bittersweet quality, making them essential for blues, rock, and emotional ballads.

Notes:C#Root (1)EMinor 3rd (b3)G#Perfect 5th (5)

Open Position

C#m9fr134111

Chord Diagrams

Position, Fret 9

Uses a barre chord technique

C#m9fr134111

Barre Shape, Fret 4

Uses a barre chord technique

C#m4fr✕13421

How to Play C#m

Follow these steps for the open position fingering:

Barre technique: Press your index finger flat across all strings at fret 9 to form the barre, then add the remaining fingers on top.
#StringInstructionNote
1Low E (6th string)●Fret 9 with your index fingerC#
2A (5th string)●Fret 11 with your ring fingerE
3D (4th string)●Fret 11 with your pinky fingerG#
4G (3rd string)●Fret 9 with your index fingerC#
5B (2nd string)●Fret 9 with your index fingerE
6High E (1st string)●Fret 9 with your index fingerG#

○ = Open string (no fingers needed)

✕ = Muted string (don't play)

● = Press your finger down firmly just behind the fret

Notes in C#m

The C#m chord is built from 3 distinct notes, each serving a harmonic role:

C#
Root (1)
The root, gives the chord its name
E
Minor 3rd (b3)
The minor third, creates the darker sound
G#
Perfect 5th (5)
The fifth, adds power and stability

Songs Using C#m

These songs from our play-along library feature the C#m chord:

abc (nicer)

GAYLE

beginner

Rein Me In

Sam Fender & Olivia Dean

intermediate

Africa

Toto

intermediate

Antidote

Karan Aujla

advanced

I'll Change for You

Mitski

intermediate

Turn the Lights Off

Jon & KATO

intermediate

Problems

Mother Mother

advanced

Janice STFU

Drake

intermediate

Bindaas

Deepthi Suresh, Anirudh Ravichander, Super Subu

intermediate

Give Me One Reason

Tracy Chapman

intermediate

Radhimaa

Sai Abhyankkar, Nargis Teji, Asma Teji & Vivek feat. Sai Smriti

intermediate

Breakin' Dishes

Rihanna

beginner

*NSYNC

7clouds

intermediate

stupid song

Olivia Rodrigo

beginner

Photograph

Ed Sheeran

intermediate

Somebody's Watching Me

Rockwell

beginner

Dooron Dooron

Paresh Pahuja

beginner

November Rain

Guns N' Roses

advanced

someday i'll get it

Alek Olsen

intermediate

Spooky, Scary Skeletons (Undead Tombstone Remix)

Andrew Gold

intermediate

IYKYK

Jxggi, Dishant & Sickboi

intermediate

For A Reason

Karan Aujla & Ikky

intermediate

Fat Lip

Sum 41

intermediate

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi

Rashid Ali

intermediate

Train Wreck

James Arthur

intermediate

Angel Of My Dreams

JADE

intermediate

Jolene

Dolly Parton

beginner

Bob Seger Old Time Rock n Roll

Unknown

beginner

Teenage Dirtbag

Wheatus

beginner

Naal Nachna

Shashwat Sachdev; Afsana Khan; IRSHAD KAMIL; Reble

intermediate

Take On Me

a-ha

intermediate

Hooked On a Feeling

Blue Swede

intermediate

Run To You

Bryan Adams

intermediate

Message in a Bottle

The Police

intermediate

Marianne

Fontaines D.C.

beginner

Breaking Me

Topic

beginner

Mystical Magical

Benson Boone

intermediate

Pointless

Lewis Capaldi

beginner

House Tour

Sabrina Carpenter

intermediate

Need You Now

Lady Antebellum

beginner

Rain On Me

Lady Gaga

beginner

The Reason

Hoobastank

intermediate

Teri Aankhon Mein

Darshan Raval

intermediate

Die On This Hill

SIENNA SPIRO

advanced

Teri Yaad

Aditya Rikhari

beginner

You Will Never Know it

Carpetman

intermediate

SWIM

BTS

advanced

Counting Stars

OneRepublic

beginner

Housewife

Tate McRae

intermediate

Gives You Hell

The All-American Rejects

intermediate

Back In Black

AC/DC

intermediate

Sajni

Jal The Band

intermediate

One way or another

Blondie

intermediate

Patience

Guns N' Roses

intermediate

Tera Ban Jaunga

Akhil

intermediate

I Won't Give Up

Jason Mraz

intermediate

Choo Lo

The Local Train

beginner

Sunday Morning

Maroon 5

intermediate

My Immortal (Band Version)

Evanescence

intermediate

Forget Me

Lewis Capaldi

beginner

Tujhe Kitna Chahne Lage

Arijit Singh

intermediate

If I Die Young (Pop Version / Remastered 2025)

The Band Perry

beginner

Stereo Hearts

Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine

intermediate

Bubbly

Colbie Caillat

intermediate

Gimme Shelter

The Rolling Stones

intermediate

Be Her

Ella Langley

beginner

Dark Thoughts

Lil Tecca

beginner

Stargazing

Myles Smith

beginner

Cruel Summer

Taylor Swift

intermediate

Die With A Smile

Lady Gaga

intermediate

Lose Control

Teddy Swims

intermediate

Hey Soul Sister

Train

beginner

Ain't In LA

ADÉLA

beginner

Crash Into Me

Dave Matthews Band

intermediate

Over My Head (Cable Car)

The Fray

intermediate

Orbiter

Noah Kahan

intermediate

The Final Countdown

Europe

intermediate

My Universe

Coldplay

beginner

Anti-Hero

Taylor Swift

beginner

Dai Dai

Shakira & Burna Boy

intermediate

Unholy

Sam Smith

intermediate

Is This Love?

Bob Marley

intermediate

My Love Mine All Mine

Mitski

intermediate

Khat

Navjot Ahuja

intermediate

Where Are You Now

Lost Frequencies

advanced

Jo Tum Mere Ho

Anuv Jain

beginner

Please Please Please

Sabrina Carpenter

advanced

Pat Benatar

OldLyrics

beginner

The Door

Teddy Swims

intermediate

Layla

Derek & The Dominos

advanced

Cherry Bomb

The Runaways

intermediate

Rockstar

LISA

beginner

Don't Stop Believin'

Journey

beginner

Layla (Unplugged)

Eric Clapton

advanced

I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore

Solo Sounds

intermediate

It's ok I'm ok

Tate McRae

intermediate

Tears in Heaven

Eric Clapton

advanced

What It Sounds Like

HUNTR/X

intermediate

Unse Jaake Kehdo

Justh

intermediate

Stop The Wedding!

Ashe

beginner

blue

yung kai

beginner

On my mind

Metito

intermediate

Faasle

Aditya Rikhari

intermediate

WILDFLOWER

Billie Eilish

intermediate

Under the Bridge

Red Hot Chili Peppers

advanced

Agar Tum Saath Ho

Arijit Singh

intermediate

Buffalo Soldier

Bob Marley

intermediate

Internet Girl

KATSEYE

advanced

Santeria

Sublime

intermediate

Unwell

Matchbox Twenty

intermediate

Thriller

Michael Jackson

intermediate

Billie Jean

Michael Jackson

intermediate

Kal Ho Na Ho

Sonu Nigam

advanced

Bohemian Rhapsody

Queen

advanced

MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Tommy Richman

intermediate

Sailor Song

Gigi Perez

beginner

BbY WOW

KAROL G, Judeline, & rusowsky

intermediate

GBP

Central Cee & 21 Savage

advanced

Beautiful Crazy

Luke Combs

beginner

Messy

Lola Young

intermediate

Runnin' with the Devil

Van Halen

intermediate

Urn

Crying City

intermediate

Come a Little Closer

Cage the Elephant

intermediate

Other C# Chords

Explore other chord types built on the same root note:

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