C# Minor (C#m)

Also written as Db Minor (Db and C# are the same key).

1+b3+5
EC#G#
4 4
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Notes in C# Minor

C# (root)EG#

Inversions

Same notes as C# Minor, with a different chord tone as the lowest note. Useful for smoother movement between chords instead of jumping around the keyboard.

Root position

C# in the bass

EC#G#

1st inversion

E in the bass

EG#C#

2nd inversion

G# in the bass

EG#C#

C# Minor is built from C#, E and G#.

Shrink the major third by a semitone and the same stable shape turns melancholy. A minor triad still resolves, it just carries a heavier, more introspective mood than its major counterpart. Sad songs lean on it constantly, but so do tense film cues and moody grooves, so treat the label as a starting point rather than the whole story.

Difficulty: Beginner. Category: Triads. Click any key on the diagram above to hear that single note.