Chords › C♯ major
C Sharp Major Chord on Guitar
- C♯
- C♯ · E♯ · G♯
- Barre at fret 4
- Also written D♭
A-shape barre
Easy, four strings. Play only the top four strings. It has all three notes of the chord and no full barre.
C sharp major, written C♯, is a major chord: the root, the major third and the fifth. C♯ has no open shape, so it is usually played as an A-shape barre chord at the 4th fret, and there is an easier four-string version for beginners.
How to play C♯, finger by finger
- Lay your index finger flat across strings 5 to 1 at the 4th fret.
- Put your middle finger on string 4 at the 6th fret.
- Put your ring finger on string 3 at the 6th fret.
- Put your pinky finger on string 2 at the 6th fret.
- Strum from string 5 down to string 1, and don't play string 6.
Easy C♯ for beginners
Play only the top four strings. It has all three notes of the chord and no full barre.
More ways to play C♯
Notes in C♯ major
| Note | Interval | Role |
|---|---|---|
| C♯ | 1 | root |
| E♯ | 3 | major third |
| G♯ | 5 | fifth |
Formula: 1 – 3 – 5
Questions about C♯
What notes are in C♯?
C♯, E♯ and G♯. Those are the 1, 3, 5 of the chord, counted from C♯.
What is the easiest way to play C♯?
Play the four-string version on the top strings, frets 6, 6, 6, 4 from the 4th string to the 1st. Move to the full barre at the 4th fret when your index finger is ready.
Is C♯ the same as D♭?
Yes, on guitar they are played the same way and sound the same. C sharp and D flat are two names for one note: songs in sharp keys write C♯, songs in flat keys write D♭.
Related chords
Often played with C♯
Other major chords