Chords in the Key of C♯ Minor — Guitar Chord Chart

The key of C♯ minor has 4 sharps, and its seven chords are C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B. Start with C♯m, F♯m, G♯m: they are the three a song in C♯ minor cannot do without. Every diagram below plays when you press it.

The seven chords of C♯ minor

One chord on each note of the scale, built from the scale’s own notes. Capital numerals are major chords, small ones minor, and ° is diminished.

iC♯mx46654the home chord
ii°D♯dimxx1242rare — a passing chord
IIIE022100the relative major
ivF♯m244222the step away from home
vG♯m466444the natural, gentler dominant
VIAx02220bright against the minor home
VIIBx24442a whole step under home

The three to learn first

C♯m is home — the chord the song starts from and ends on. F♯m is the step away, and G♯m is the one that pulls back home. On guitar they are x46654, 244222 and 466444: C♯m with a barre at the 4th fret and three more fingers, F♯m with a barre at the 2nd fret and two more fingers and G♯m with a barre at the 4th fret and two more fingers.

The easy way: a capo at the 4th fret

C♯ minor is not a friendly key on guitar — C♯m, D♯dim, F♯m and G♯m need a barre or a fourth finger. Clamp a capo at the 4th fret and play the chords of A minor instead: every shape sounds 4 semitones higher, so the Am shape sounds C♯m, the Dm shape sounds F♯m and the Em shape sounds G♯m.

Progressions in C♯ minor

The orders these chords are most often played in. Press play to hear each one strummed, a bar to a chord.

i – iv – V7C♯m – F♯m – G♯7

The minor three-chord song, with the major dominant.

i – VI – III – VIIC♯m – A – E – B

The four-chord pop progression, started from its minor chord.

i – VII – VI – V7C♯m – B – A – G♯7

The descending “Andalusian” line.

The sevenths

Four-note versions of the same chords. G♯7 is the one worth learning first: it is G♯m with one note added, and it pulls toward C♯m harder than the plain chord does.

V7G♯7464544the major dominant, borrowed from the harmonic minor
i7C♯m7x46454home, softened
iv7F♯m7242222the step away, softened

The scale behind the chords

C♯ minor is the notes C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B. Every chord above uses only those seven notes (except G♯7, which raises the seventh), which is why they sound as if they belong together — and why a melody in C♯ minor fits over any of them. Its relative major is E major, which has the same notes and the same chords with a different home.

The nearest keys are a fifth either side: G♯ minor and F♯ minor. Each shares six of this key’s seven notes, which is why songs change key to them so often.

Frequently asked questions

What chords are in the key of C♯ minor?

C♯m (i), D♯dim (ii°), E (III), F♯m (iv), G♯m (v), A (VI), B (VII). They are the seven chords you get by stacking thirds on each note of the C♯ minor scale — C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B — using only notes of that scale. Songs in C♯ minor also use G♯7, the major dominant, which borrows one note from outside it.

What are the three main chords in C♯ minor?

C♯m, F♯m and G♯m — the chords on the first, fourth and fifth notes of the scale. C♯m is home, F♯m moves away from it and G♯m pulls back. A great many songs use only these three.

What is the relative major of C♯ minor?

E major. The two keys share all seven notes and all seven chords, in a different order: what is III in C♯ minor is the home chord of E major. A song can move between them without any chord sounding out of place.

Is C♯ minor an easy key on guitar?

4 of its six everyday chords — C♯m, D♯dim, F♯m and G♯m — need a barre or four fingers on guitar. The usual way round that is a capo at the 4th fret, playing the chord shapes of A minor.

Guitar Chords in the Key of C♯ Minor