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C♯ Minor 11th

Reviewed for accuracy · Last updated June 2026 · Maintained by Justin Evans

D♭ Minor 11th
This is the same chord as D♭ Minor 11th — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with flats.
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Three quick cards on C♯ Minor 11th
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C♯m11
C♯ – E – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯
Formula:R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11
Intervals:P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11
Scale Degrees:1-b3-5-b7-9-11

Practice C♯ Minor 11th

Reading about it is one thing. Drilling it is what makes it automatic.

Chord Drill →Timed drills — build speed and recognitionPractice Room →Plug in a MIDI keyboard for real-time feedback

Introduction

C# Minor 11th piano chord, root position — C#, E, G#, B, D#, F#
The C# Minor 11th chord in root position on a piano keyboard, notes C#, E, G#, B, D#, F#.

The C♯ Minor 11th chord is a six-note chord made up of C♯, E, G♯, B, D♯, and F♯. It is built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, and perfect eleventh.

Notes

Notes:C♯ – E – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C♯ Minor 11th is the tonic (i) chord of C# Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, E Major — 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).

F♯C♯G♯D♯

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.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of C♯ Minor

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

C1C2C3C4EC5C6C7C8C#G#
i — C♯ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iC♯ MinorMinor
2ii°D♯ DiminishedDiminished
3IIIE MajorMajor
4ivF♯ MinorMinor
5vG♯ MinorMinor
6VIA MajorMajor
7VIIB MajorMajor

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes C♯ – E – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:

G♭ 13sus4→

Theory: Intervals

Formula: R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11
Intervals: P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11

The C♯ Minor 11th is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11 show the distance between each note in the chord.

C♯ Minor 11th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the C♯ Minor 11th chord on piano?
The C♯ Minor 11th chord contains the notes C♯ – E – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the C# Minor 11th chord?
C# Minor 11th is built from the C# root. Check the interactive keyboard above for exact notes and fingering.
How is the C# Minor 11th chord used in music?
C# Minor 11th appears in jazz, pop, and classical contexts. Its sound depends on the chord quality (Minor 11th).
What is the fingering for C# Minor 11th?
See the fingering chart above. Right hand typically uses thumb on root. Left hand uses pinky on root.
What are the inversions of C# Minor 11th?
Use the inversion buttons above to see each inversion with notes, fingering, and staff notation.

Practice Tips

  • Extended jazz voicing with the 11th.
  • Drop notes for practical voicings.
  • The 11th adds suspension.
  • Compare with the 9th version.
  • Jazz and funk applications.
  • Quartal voicings work well.

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

How this chord page is sourced & verified

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this page are drawn from the established body of Western music theory and verified against the conventions below — the same fundamentals taught in conservatories and music programs. We list categories of source material rather than individual titles, and reference the standards themselves rather than any single edition.

  • Standard music theory texts — Widely taught fundamentals of pitch, rhythm, and notation.
  • Western tonal harmony conventions — Established rules for chord construction, voice leading, and key relationships.
  • Interval and chord construction standards — The conventional spelling of intervals, triads, sevenths, and extensions.
  • Scale and mode theory — The common derivation of major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and modal scales.
  • Piano pedagogy and technique references — Long-standing practices for fingering, hand position, and practice.

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