Chord

C♯ Minor 6 Chord

C♯EG♯A♯
View on: Theory PianoGuitarUkuleleMandolin

Interactive keyboard

Highlighted notes form this chord.

Notes

C♯ · E · G♯ · A♯

Root: C♯

Intervals

1 · ♭3 · 5 · 6

How it is built

This chord starts on C♯ and applies the intervals 1, ♭3, 5, 6. The result contains 4 distinct pitch classes per octave.

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Guide and musical context

About C♯ Minor 6 Chord

C♯ Minor 6 Chord contains C♯, E, G♯, A♯. Its sound is melancholic yet smooth, with a more sophisticated color than a plain minor triad.

Character and sound

Melancholic yet smooth, with a more sophisticated color than a plain minor triad.

Musical context and history

The minor-sixth chord combines a minor triad with a major sixth. It is a familiar color in jazz, popular song, bossa nova and chromatic voice-leading.

How and where it is used

It can act as a colored minor tonic or as a voice-leading device in chromatic progressions.

In Theory view you can hear the pitch collection without depending on a specific fingering. Then switch to Piano, Guitar, Ukulele or Mandolin to see how the same notes are physically distributed on each instrument.

Harmonic and musical relationships

The C♯ minor harmony can be compared with its parallel major, which keeps the same root, and its relative major at E. The dominant a fifth above, A♭, is another important reference.

The formula on this page is 1 · ♭3 · 5 · 6 and, from C♯, produces the notes C♯ · E · G♯ · A♯.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯ Minor 6 Chord?

The notes are C♯, E, G♯, A♯.

What is its interval formula?

The formula is 1 · ♭3 · 5 · 6.

How does it sound and what is it used for?

Melancholic yet smooth, with a more sophisticated color than a plain minor triad. It can act as a colored minor tonic or as a voice-leading device in chromatic progressions.

Can I view it on a specific instrument?

Yes. Use the selector near the top to switch between Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin without changing the musical combination you are studying.