C♯maj7 Chord

The C♯maj7 chord is a major seventh chord built on the root note C♯. Its notes are C♯, F, G♯ and C. It is enharmonically the same chord as D♭maj7.

Major seventh chords are lush, open and slightly jazzy. Stacking a major third on top of a major triad gives them a dreamy colour often heard in bossa nova, soul and modern R&B.

C♯maj7 on piano

Piano diagram of the C♯maj7 chordCFCFC♯G♯C♯G♯C♯maj7 — C♯ · F · G♯ · C

To play C♯maj7 on piano, place your right-hand thumb on C♯, middle finger on F, and little finger on G♯. Press all keys at the same time and listen for a clear, balanced sound. Practice switching to and from this chord slowly, then with a metronome at a comfortable tempo.

C♯maj7 on guitar

Guitar chord diagram of the C♯maj7 chord9frC♯maj7

On guitar, C♯maj7 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. If the chord contains barred notes, keep your index finger flat across the fretboard and curve the other fingers so they do not mute the open strings. Strum only the strings marked as active in the diagram for the cleanest tone.

Play the chord

C♯maj7
C♯ · F · G♯ · C

C♯maj7 chord notes

Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 7Notes: C♯ · F · G♯ · CAlso known as: D♭maj7
DegreeIntervalSemitonesNote
1Root0C♯(C#)
3Major third4F
5Perfect fifth7G♯(G#)
7Major seventh11C

How to use the C♯maj7 chord

The C♯maj7 chord is built from a root, a major third, a perfect fifth and a major seventh. Starting from the root C♯, stack the intervals to get the complete chord: C♯, F, G♯ and C. Learning the formula is the fastest way to transpose the chord to any other key.

Major seventh chords colour jazz standards, bossa nova, soul and modern pop. They most often serve as Imaj7 or IVmaj7 in a major key to add warmth without changing the function.

Common progressions

The C♯maj7 chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.

Pop progression
I → V → vi → IV
C♯G♯A♯mF♯
Classic I-IV-V
I → IV → V → I
C♯F♯G♯C♯
50s progression
I → vi → IV → V
C♯A♯mF♯G♯

Related chords to C♯maj7

Once you are comfortable with C♯maj7, explore neighbouring chords to unlock new progressions. The chords below share notes, keys or functions with C♯maj7 and are a natural next step in your practice.

Cmaj7
C · E · G · B
Dmaj7
D · F♯ · A · C♯
E♭maj7
E♭ · G · B♭ · D
Emaj7
E · G♯ · B · D♯
C♯ Major
C♯ · F · G♯
C♯ Minor
C♯ · E · G♯
C♯7
C♯ · F · G♯ · B
C♯m7
C♯ · E · G♯ · B
A♭maj7
A♭ · C · E♭ · G
F♯maj7
F♯ · A♯ · C♯ · F

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯maj7 chord?
The C♯maj7 chord contains C♯, F, G♯ and C (C#, F, G# and C in plain text).
Is the C♯maj7 chord major or minor?
C♯maj7 is a major seventh chord. Major seventh chords are lush, open and slightly jazzy. Stacking a major third on top of a major triad gives them a dreamy colour often heard in bossa nova, soul and modern R&B.
How do you play C♯maj7 on piano?
Place your fingers on C♯, F, G♯ and C and play the notes together. On piano, the root is usually played with the little finger of the left hand and the upper notes with the right hand.
How do you play C♯maj7 on guitar?
C♯maj7 is typically played using the fingering shown in the interactive diagram above. You can also try an open position if one of the chord tones lines up with an open string.
What is another name for the C♯maj7 chord?
C♯maj7 is enharmonically equivalent to D♭maj7. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.

Keep exploring

Deepen your understanding of the C♯maj7 chord with our other music theory tools.

Browse all chordsTry the PianoOpen Circle of Fifths