stringery

C♯ minor 7 Minor 7 family

Mellow and smooth, minor without the heartbreak.

Easiest shape1 of 3

Square: the root. In colour: the flat 7th, which gives the chord its sound.

Change a finger and see what it becomes

Built from

  • C♯root
  • Eminor 3rd
  • G♯5th
  • Bflat 7th

The flat 7th softens the minor 3rd, so the sadness turns into something relaxed.

Tension: Gentle

Hear it in a progression

Where it goes next

Thinking in C♯ minor, where it is the i7 chord.

  • Amaj7

    VImaj7. Opens up into something bittersweet.

  • F♯m7

    iv7. Goes darker still.

  • B7

    VII7. Steps down: a rock and folk staple.

  • Emaj7

    IIImaj7. Brightens into the relative major.

Sounds close

  • Emaj7

    Relative major 7: same notes but one. Both have E, G♯ and B.

  • E

    Contains its relative major whole. Both have E, G♯ and B.

  • E7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, G♯ and B.

  • Amaj7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have C♯, E and G♯.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

Keys it lives in