C#m7 guitar chord: 5 ways to play C# minor 7th (Dbm7)

Ways to play C♯m7

Lowest on the neck first. Tap a shape to put it on the fretboard above and hear it. The numbers are fingers (1 is your index), × means leave that string out, and ○ means let it ring open.

What's in C♯m7

A minor 7th is a minor triad with a flat 7th on top: C♯m7 is C♯, E, G♯, B. On guitar it is often easier than the plain minor chord, because the 7th can come from an open string or frees up a finger.

Note	Formula	Interval from C♯
C♯	1	Root
E	♭3	Minor 3rd
G♯	5	Perfect 5th
B	♭7	Minor 7th

Mellower than a straight minor chord. It is the ii in the ii–V–I that jazz is built on, and the default minor chord in funk and R&B.

Keys that use C♯m7

Every major and minor key whose scale contains all of C♯, E, G♯ and B, and the chord's Roman numeral in each.

Key	C♯m7 is the
C♯ minor	i7
G♯ minor	iv7
F♯ minor	v7
B major	ii7
E major	vi7
A major	iii7

Progressions to try

ii7–V7–Imaj7 in B major

A minor 7th's most common job: the ii chord that sets up the V.

i7–iv7 in C♯ minor

A two-chord minor vamp that funk and soul can sit on for a whole song.

Other chords on C♯:

See every chord in the library

C♯m7 chord