Introduction

C♯ Minor Major 7th on the piano — Notes: C♯ – E – G♯ – C — C♯ Minor Major 7th chord on the piano

The C♯ Minor Major 7th chord is a four-note chord made up of C♯, E, G♯, and C. It is built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and major seventh.

The C# Minor Major 7th piano chord (C#mMaj7) consists of the notes C#, E, G#, C. It is a minor triad with an added major 7th, giving it a dark and complex character with strong tension, often used in jazz and minor key progressions. Formula: R-m3-P5-M7 | Scale degrees: 1-b3-5-7.

Notes

Notes:C♯ – E – G♯ – C

C♯ Minor Major 7th Inversions

Position	Notes
Root Position	C# – E – G# – C
1st Inversion	E – G# – C – C#
2nd Inversion	G# – C – C# – E
3rd Inversion	C# – E – G# – C

Key Signature

The key of C# Minor Major 7th has 4 sharps.

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 diatonic triads built on each degree of the C# minor scale:

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

i — C♯ Minor (minor)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	i	C# Minor	Minor
2	ii°	D# Diminished	Diminished
3	III	E Major	Major
4	iv	F# Minor	Minor
5	v	G# Minor	Minor
6	VI	A Major	Major
7	VII	B Major	Major

Related Chords

Parallel Major:C# Major

Relative Major:E Major

Dominant (V):G# Major

Subdominant (IV):F# Major

Theory: Intervals

Formula: R-m3-P5-M7

Intervals: P1-m3-P5-M7

The C♯ Minor Major 7th is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-m3-P5-M7 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-m3-P5-M7 show the distance between each note in the chord.

C♯ Minor Major 7th — Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in the C# Minor Major 7th chord?

C# Minor Major 7th is built from the C# root. Check the interactive keyboard above for exact notes and fingering.

How is the C# Minor Major 7th chord used in music?

C# Minor Major 7th appears in jazz, pop, and classical contexts. Its sound depends on the chord quality (Minor Major 7th).

What is the fingering for C# Minor Major 7th?

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 Major 7th?

Use the inversion buttons above to see each inversion with notes, fingering, and staff notation.

Why does C# Minor Major 7th sound so tense?

The minor third and major seventh are only a semitone apart when inverted, creating dramatic tension.

Practice Tips

Play C#m then add the major 7th — hear the dramatic tension.
The descending chromatic line is one of the most famous chord movements.
Compare with C#m7.
Film noir and spy theme sound.
Harmonic minor i chord.
The tension between minor 3rd and major 7th defines this chord.

Explore More

Minor Major 7th Chord in Other Keys

C Db D D#Eb E F F#Gb G G#Ab A A#Bb B Cb

Parent Scale

C# Major Scale C# Minor Scale

Browse all Minor Major 7th Chords →All C# Chords →Learn about seventh chords →

Related Lessons

Keep going with the Minor Major 7th chord — these pages cover the underlying theory, the connected reference material, and the practice tools that work with this chord.

C♯ Minor Major 7th