Chords › C♯9
C Sharp 9 Chord on Guitar
- C♯9
- C♯ · E♯ · G♯ · B · D♯
- From fret 1
- Also written D♭9
Movable, fret 3
C♯9 is a dominant ninth chord: a dominant seventh with the ninth added, the funk and blues chord. C♯9 has no open shape, so it is usually played as a 4-string shape near the nut.
How to play C♯9, finger by finger
- Put your index finger on string 4 at the 3rd fret.
- Put your middle finger on string 5 at the 4th fret.
- Put your ring finger on string 3 at the 4th fret.
- Put your pinky finger on string 2 at the 4th fret.
- Strum strings 5 to 2 only.
More ways to play C♯9
Notes in C♯9
| Note | Interval | Role |
|---|---|---|
| C♯ | 1 | root |
| E♯ | 3 | major third |
| G♯ | 5 | fifth |
| B | ♭7 | flat seventh |
| D♯ | 9 | ninth |
Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 – 9
Questions about C♯9
What notes are in C♯9?
C♯, E♯, G♯, B and D♯. Those are the 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9 of the chord, counted from C♯.
Which strings do I strum for C♯9?
Start on string 5 and strum down to string 1, and leave the strings marked with an X silent.
Is C♯9 the same as D♭9?
Yes, on guitar they are played the same way and sound the same. C sharp and D flat are two names for one note: songs in sharp keys write C♯, songs in flat keys write D♭.
What chord does C♯9 lead to?
Most often F♯. C♯9 is the five chord of F♯, so it pulls strongly back to F♯.
Related chords
Often played with C♯9
Other 9 chords