Read left to right, 6th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string, x is a string you do not play.
- Index finger flat across the top 5 strings, from the A string up at the 4th fret — the barre.
- Middle finger on the 6th fret of the D string (4th).
- Ring finger on the 6th fret of the G string (3rd).
- Little finger on the 6th fret of the B string (2nd).
- Do not play the low E string: start the strum from the A string.
String by string
What each string does in this shape, and which note of the chord it sounds. This is what to listen for when you pluck them one at a time.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | In the chord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (low E) | not played | — | — | — |
| 5th (A) | fret 4 | index | C♯3 | root |
| 4th (D) | fret 6 | middle | G♯3 | fifth |
| 3rd (G) | fret 6 | ring | C♯4 | root |
| 2nd (B) | fret 6 | little | E♯4 | third |
| 1st (high E) | fret 4 | index | G♯4 | fifth |
One string at a time: a chord strummed into a microphone is several notes at once, and a single string is something the page can hear exactly. A string in tune but on the wrong fret, or deadened by the finger beside it, shows up here and not on a tuner. Tap a string to check it again.
3 other ways to play C♯
The same 3 notes, somewhere else on the neck. A different shape puts a different note on top, so each one colours the chord slightly differently — and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- x43121A barre at the 1st fret and three more fingers
- 9-11-11-10-9-9A barre at the 9th fret and three more fingers
- 986669A barre at the 6th fret and three more fingers
If the usual shape is too hard for now
Or use a capo: clamp it at the 1st fret and play the C shape. Every string is raised 1 semitone, so that open shape now sounds C♯.
Holding it cleanly
The barre is the hard part. Lay the index finger just behind the 4th fret, roll it slightly onto its bony outer edge, and keep the thumb behind the neck opposite it. Pluck the barred strings one at a time: a buzz or a dead string means the finger is not flat there yet.
The lowest string is left out, because its open note is not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below it, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in C♯
A major chord is built from the root (1), 3 and 5 of its root’s major scale. From C♯ that gives C♯ – E♯ (F) – G♯. Bright and settled — the chord a song in a major key comes home to.
The same root, other chords: C♯m, C♯7, C♯maj7, C♯m7, C♯sus2, C♯sus4, C♯dim, C♯aug.
Keys that use C♯
C♯ is built from the notes of 6 keys. Each link is that key’s full set of guitar chords — the ones that sound right next to this one.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a C♯ chord?
C♯ major is three notes: C♯ – E♯ (F) – G♯ — the root, 3 and 5 of the C♯ major scale. On guitar the shape x46664 sounds C♯3, G♯3, C♯4, E♯4 and G♯4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play C♯ on guitar?
The usual shape is x46664 — a barre chord at the 4th fret, with a barre at the 4th fret and three more fingers. Or put a capo on the 1st fret and play the C shape, which then sounds C♯.
Is C♯ the same chord as D♭?
Yes — on guitar they are the same frets and the same sound. C♯ and D♭ are two names for one pitch, and which name a songbook prints depends on the key: a piece in a sharp key writes C♯, a piece in a flat key writes D♭.
What is the difference between C♯ and C♯m?
One note. C♯ has a major third (E♯); C♯m lowers it a semitone. That single fret is the whole difference between the two sounds.
What keys is C♯ in?
C♯ is one of the seven chords of D♭ major (as I), F♯ major (as V), A♭ major (as IV), B♭ minor (as III), E♭ minor (as VII) and F minor (as VI).