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Chord · Reference entry

C♯ 7♭9

7♭9 · C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B – D · intervals P1-M3-P5-m7-m9

The C♯ 7♭9 chord (C♯7♭9) contains the notes C♯, E♯, G♯, B, and D. Its interval formula is R-M3-P5-m7-m9. A dominant 7th with a flatted 9th — sharply dissonant, the textbook V7 resolving to a minor chord.

D♭ 7♭9
This is the same chord as D♭ 7♭9 — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with flats.

At the keyboard

C# · E# · G# · B · D
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on C♯ 7♭9
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C♯7♭9

The C♯ 7♭9 chord is a five-note chord made up of C♯, E♯, G♯, B, and D. It is built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, and minor ninth.

Construction

C♯ 7♭9 = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th + Minor 2nd = C♯ · E♯ · G♯ · B · D
NoteIntervalDegree
C♯Root1
E♯Major 3rd3
G♯Perfect 5th5
BMinor 7th♭7
DMinor 2nd♭9

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C♯ 7♭9 is the tonic (I) chord of C# Major, whose key signature has 7 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯).

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

FCGDAEB

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of C♯ Major

These are the triads built on each degree of the C♯ major scale:

C1C2C3C4E♯C5C6C7C8C♯G♯
IC♯ Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IC♯ MajorMajor
2iiD♯ MinorMinor
3iiiF MinorMinor
4IVF♯ MajorMajor
5VG♯ MajorMajor
6viA♯ MinorMinor
7vii°C DiminishedDiminished

C♯ 7♭9 — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the C♯ 7♭9 chord on piano?
The C♯ 7♭9 chord contains the notes C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B – D. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the C# 7♭9 chord?
The C# 7♭9 chord (C#7♭9) contains 5 notes: C#, F, G#, B, D. Formula: R-M3-P5-m7-m9.
How is C#7♭9 used in music?
C#7♭9 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.
What is the scale degree formula for C#7♭9?
C#7♭9 uses scale degrees 1-3-5-b7-b9, giving it its distinctive sound.

Related Tools

Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this chord page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    Riemann, Hugo(1896)

    Harmony Simplified (English translation)

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    George Grove (ed.)(1900)

    A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Beethoven, Ludwig van(1802)

    Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ("Moonlight"), i

    Public domain score
  4. 4

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