C♯m, minor chord
C♯, E and G♯
- Root
- C♯
- Minor third
- E
- Perfect fifth
- G♯
Formula
1 ♭3 5 (3, 7 half steps above C♯)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | C♯ | E | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
C♯ minor inversions
C♯ minor has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
C♯m
Root position
| Notes | C♯ | E | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
C♯m/E
First inversion
| Notes | E | G♯ | C♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
C♯m/G♯
Second inversion
| Notes | G♯ | C♯ | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with C♯ minor
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. C♯ minor appears as:
- i in C♯ minor
- vi in E major
- ii in B major
- iii in A major
- iv in G♯ minor
- v in F♯ minor
How C♯ minor is built
C♯ is the root, E the minor third and G♯ the perfect fifth.
A minor chord is a root, the minor third 3 half steps above it and the perfect fifth 7 half steps above it. Raise the middle note by one key and C♯ minor becomes D♭ major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of C♯ minor are C, E, G. That is why it is spelled C♯, E and G♯.
Find C♯ minor yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of C♯ minor, in any octave and any order.
Practice C♯ minor in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the C♯ minor chord?
C♯ minor (C♯m) has three notes: C♯, E and G♯. C♯ is the root, E the minor third and G♯ the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for C♯ minor on piano?
In root position, play C♯, E and G♯ with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of C♯ minor?
C♯ minor has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (C♯m/E): E, G♯ and C♯. Second inversion (C♯m/G♯): G♯, C♯ and E.
Is C♯ minor the same as D♭ minor?
On the piano, yes: they use the same keys. They are written differently, because a chord takes every other letter: C♯ minor is C♯, E and G♯ and D♭ minor is D♭, F♭ and A♭. C♯ minor is the usual name: its key has 4 sharps, while D♭ minor would need 8 flats, more than any written key has.