C#7 Piano Chord: Notes & How to Play It

Wondering how to play the C#7 piano chord? It doesn't come up all that often so it can leave you scrambling for the notes when you come across this chord. 

Here we'll go over the notes of the C#7 or C Sharp Seventh chord as well as which fingers to use, how to play C#7sus4 and why you'd use the C#7 chord over the Db7 chord. Let's get started.

C#7 Notes

The C#7 chord notes are: C# E# G# B.

C#7 is a type of seventh chord and basically everything is sharp except for the 7th note - B. 

Below you can see the C#7 chord on the treble clef and piano keys. 

This chord is actually exactly the same as the Db7 chord, just written as different letters. 

It might help you to remember the notes of the chord like this:

1. Take the C major chord and make everything sharp (C#, E#, G#). 

2. Add B on top. 

How to Play C#7 Piano Chord: Video and Sound

The video below will show you how to play C#7 in the right hand. You'll also hear what it should sound like. 

C#7 Chord Finger Positions

The C sharp seventh chord is one that you'll like play in root position for a while just because it is not that common and so you won't be as used to inverting it. 

When play C#7 the finger positions you can use are the standard ones for 7th chords. 

Right hand: use fingers 1, 2, 4, 5 (everything but your middle finger)

Left hand: use fingers 5, 4, 2, 1 (everything but your middle finger)

When playing hands together, I tend to play C# in my left hand and the notes of the C#7 chord in my right hand.

C#7sus / C#7sus4 Piano Chord Notes

Another tricky chord that comes up when we take about C#7 chords is the C#7sus or C#7sus4 chord. They are the same chord but just written slightly differently. The chord can also be written as C#sus7. 

What you need to do to play this chord is play the C#sus chord (C# F# G#) and add the seventh - B - on top. 

The notes of the C#7sus and C#7sus4 chord are: C# F# G# B.

Db7 vs C#7 Chords

You may or may not have noticed that the D flat seventh and C sharp seventh piano chords are played exactly the same. You use the exact same keys on the piano. 

So that can lead some to use these chords interchangeably when there are actually theory rules about which one to use where. 

Generally, you'll play the C#7 chord in a key with sharps in it. Like in the key of F# major for example. 

The Db7 chord on the other hand will be played in the keys with flats in it like Gb major. 

Flats go with flats and sharps go with sharps. And we try not to mix them up because we're playing within a structure - a key signature.

If you need more help understanding key signatures, visit the key signatures page.

If you need to look up more chords, visit the Piano Chord Charts page or download your own copy below.

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