Piano chord · Triads
C♯ minor chord on piano
Right hand: C♯ (1), E (3), G♯ (5)
How to play C♯m on piano: the keys to press, which fingers to use, inversions and how it’s written on the staff.
Darker and more melancholy than major, but just as stable.
C♯m is the ii chord in B major, iii in A major and vi in E major. In minor keys: i in C♯ minor and iv in G♯ minor.
- Notes
- C♯EG♯
- Formula
- 1♭35
- Built from
- root · minor 3rd · perfect 5th
Piano
Root position · numbers are finger numbers
How to play it
Right handC♯1 · thumbE3 · middleG♯5 · pinky
Left handC♯5 · pinkythe root, an octave lower
Finger numbers: 1 thumb · 2 index · 3 middle · 4 ring · 5 pinky. Inversions use the same notes with a different one on the bottom — they help you move smoothly between chords. Tap any key to hear it.
Tips for playing C♯m on piano
C♯, E, G♯ — black, white, black.
You’ll find C♯m in common progressions such as C♯m–A–E–B (the minor-feel pop progression in E major), C♯m–F♯m–G♯–C♯m (the minor cadence in C♯ minor) and C♯m–B–A–G♯ (the Andalusian cadence in C♯ minor).
