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C# Major Chord

C# major is C sharp, E sharp and G sharp. E sharp uses the same piano key as F, but the E-sharp name identifies the third of this chord. In F sharp major, C# leads back to F sharp.

  • Notes: C sharp-E sharp-G sharp
  • Symbol: C#
  • Home chord of C sharp major
  • Leads to F sharp
Switch chordC#

How to play a C# major chord

Notes: C# - E# - G# · symbol C#

  • Root position

    C# - E# - G#
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 1st inversion

    E# - G# - C#
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-2-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 2nd inversion

    G# - C# - E#
    C4C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-2-1

Where does C# major belong?

All three notes come from the C sharp major scale, so C# major is the home chord of that key.
Press play on the role cards to hear the same chord do different jobs elsewhere; Diatonic Chords explains the numbered roles.

  • In C# majorHome
    I

    A song in C# major keeps coming back to this chord.

    F#IVG#VC#I
  • In F# majorTension
    V

    It pulls back to F#: E sharp wants to rise one half step to F sharp.

    F#IBIVC#VF#I
  • In Ab majorA step away
    IV

    A warm move away from Ab, softer than the V that follows. In this key the chord is spelled Db.

    AbIDbIVEbVAbI
  • In F# minorMinor-key dominant
    V

    Harmonic minor raises the third to E sharp, so F#m sounds truly finished.

    F#miBmivC#VF#mi

Progressions to try

  • C#F#G#C#

    I-IV-V-I in C sharp major returns after G#.

  • C#G#A#mF#

    The I-V-vi-IV loop reaches A# minor before F# turns it around.

  • F#BC#F#

    C# is V in F sharp major; the last F# releases its pull.

  • F#mBmC#F#m

    C# is the major V in F sharp minor, and E sharp points toward F#.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, The x46664 barre gives a mid-neck version; x43121 places the same chord lower but asks for more careful fingering.

On ukulele, 1114 is the low ukulele option; 6544 places the chord higher.

On piano, choose the first inversion when coming from the nearby chord F sharp-A sharp-C sharp. Play C# as E sharp-G sharp-C sharp: C sharp stays in place while F sharp moves to E sharp and A sharp moves to G sharp.

E sharp may look unusual, but E natural belongs to C# minor. Keep that distinction when reading the notes and slash chords.

What are the inversions?

C sharp is the root. E sharp is the major third, four semitones above it; G sharp is the fifth, seven semitones above it.

  • Root position: C sharp-E sharp-G sharp, with C sharp lowest.
  • First inversion: E sharp-G sharp-C sharp, written C#/E# when E sharp is the lowest note.
  • Second inversion: G sharp-C sharp-E sharp, written C#/G# when G sharp is the lowest note.

A separate bass instrument can change the lowest note even when the right hand plays an inversion. Chord Inversions explains what the slash tells the player.

How does C# minor differ?

Keep C sharp and G sharp; lower only E sharp to E. The result is C sharp-E-G sharp, the C# minor chord. E sharp is played on the piano key often called F. Use the comparer to hear that single change before judging the whole sound.

  • C#

    C# - E# - G#
    C4

    C# major

  • C#m

    C# - E - G#
    C4

    C# minor

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