Which notes are in the C# chord?

C# contains the notes C#, F and G#. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 3 – 5.

How many ways can you play C#?

Minory lists 3 guitar fingerings for C#, 3 of which are barre shapes. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.

Is the C# chord hard to play?

C# requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.

Are C# and Db the same chord?

Yes. C# and Db are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

C# major · Guitar

C# Chord on Guitar

The C# chord (C# major) is built from the notes C#, F and G#. 3 different guitar fingerings for it are shown below. The same chord is also written Db; both spellings sound identical.

Chord diagrams

Position 1barre shape · starts at fret 1

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): fret 4 — little finger
string 4 (D): fret 3 — ring finger
string 3 (G): fret 1 — index finger
string 2 (B): fret 2 — middle finger
string 1 (E): fret 1 — index finger

Position 2barre shape · starts at fret 4

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): fret 4 — index finger
string 4 (D): fret 6 — middle finger
string 3 (G): fret 6 — ring finger
string 2 (B): fret 6 — little finger
string 1 (E): fret 4 — index finger

Position 3barre shape · starts at fret 9

Fingering

string 6 (E): fret 9 — index finger
string 5 (A): fret 11 — ring finger
string 4 (D): fret 11 — little finger
string 3 (G): fret 10 — middle finger
string 2 (B): fret 9 — index finger
string 1 (E): fret 9 — index finger

Notes in this chord

C♯
F
G♯

Degrees: 1 – 3 – 5

Also written: Db

How to play

Every guitar shape for C# needs a barre, and the lowest one starts at fret 1. Keep the index finger straight and as close to the fret wire as possible, and let the wrist rather than the thumb supply the pressure.

Theory behind the chord

Major chords sound bright and settled. They are built from a root, a major third and a perfect fifth, and they carry most of the resolution points in pop, rock and folk. On C# this structure sits on the root C#, so the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 map onto C#, F and G#. C# is the I chord in the key of C# major, the V chord in G# major and the IV chord in F# major. Its relative minor is A#m, which shares the same set of notes. The most common progression it appears in is C# – A#m – F# – G#.

Frequently asked questions

Which notes are in the C# chord?: C# contains the notes C#, F and G#. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 3 – 5.
How many ways can you play C#?: Minory lists 3 guitar fingerings for C#, 3 of which are barre shapes. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.
Is the C# chord hard to play?: C# requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.
Are C# and Db the same chord?: Yes. C# and Db are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

Practise C# on your phone

Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.