C sharp minor arpeggio on guitar
The C sharp minor arpeggio (C♯m) has 3 notes: C♯, E, G♯ (C sharp, E, and G sharp), degrees 1, ♭3, 5 of the chord. On guitar it fits the 5 shapes of the CAGED system, always root to root: two octaves in the G and E shapes and one octave in the C, A, and D shapes.
- C♯ C sharp 1
- E ♭3
- G♯ G sharp 5
Whole neck: every note of the arpeggio up to fret 15. The root (C♯) is highlighted.
Positions as text
C shape (frets 1 to 4), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 5: 4 (C♯)
- string 4: 2 (E)
- string 3: 1 (G♯)
- string 2: 2 (C♯)
A shape (frets 4 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 5: 4 (C♯), 7 (E)
- string 4: 6 (G♯)
- string 3: 6 (C♯)
G shape (frets 6 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 9 (C♯)
- string 5: 7 (E)
- string 4: 6 (G♯)
- string 3: 6 (C♯), 9 (E)
- string 2: 9 (G♯)
- string 1: 9 (C♯)
E shape (frets 9 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 9 (C♯), 12 (E)
- string 5: 11 (G♯)
- string 4: 11 (C♯)
- string 3: 9 (E)
- string 2: 9 (G♯)
- string 1: 9 (C♯)
D shape (frets 11 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (C♯), 14 (E)
- string 3: 13 (G♯)
- string 2: 14 (C♯)
Positions on the neck
The positions follow the CAGED system: the neck splits into 5 regions, each with the shape of an open chord (C, A, G, E and D) moved to C sharp. In each shape the arpeggio goes from root to root: two octaves in the E and G shapes (root on the 6th string), one octave in the C and A shapes (root on the 5th) and in the D shape (root on the 4th).
The faded notes around a position are chord tones too: use them to extend the arpeggio down or up.
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down, at the tempo you want. With the whole neck, Listen plays the arpeggio from the lowest root.
Diagrams in standard tuning (E A D G B E).
Formula
- C♯
- 3
- E
- 4
- G♯
- 5
- C♯
Degrees: 1 · ♭3 · 5 (root, minor third, perfect fifth). Distance between the notes: 3 – 4 – 5 semitones, counting the step back to the upper root.
About the minor chord
The minor third makes the chord darker, wistful or inward-looking. In a major key it shows up on the ii, iii and vi degrees (A minor in C major); in a minor key it is home base, from romantic ballads to folk songs.
The chord and the scale
- C sharp minor chord (C♯m) The chord shapes on guitar, with sound
- C sharp natural minor scale The scale to practice with it: it has every note of the arpeggio plus the ones in between.
Other C sharp scales with every note of the arpeggio
More C sharp arpeggios
- Major (C♯)
- Minor (C♯m)
- Seventh (C♯7)
- Major seventh (C♯7M)
- Minor seventh (C♯m7)
- Half-diminished (C♯m7(♭5))
- Diminished seventh (C♯°7)
- Augmented (C♯+)
The minor arpeggio in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the C sharp minor arpeggio?
The C sharp minor arpeggio (C♯m) has the notes C sharp, E, and G sharp: degrees 1, ♭3, 5 of the chord.
How do you play the C sharp minor arpeggio on guitar?
With the CAGED shapes, each from root to root: C shape (frets 1 to 4, 1 octave), A shape (frets 4 to 7, 1 octave), G shape (frets 6 to 9, 2 octaves), E shape (frets 9 to 12, 2 octaves), and D shape (frets 11 to 14, 1 octave).
Which scale goes with the C sharp minor arpeggio?
The C sharp minor scale, which has every note of the arpeggio. These also have all of them: C sharp harmonic minor scale, C sharp melodic minor scale, C sharp minor pentatonic scale, C sharp blues scale, C sharp major blues scale, C sharp Dorian scale, C sharp Phrygian scale, and C sharp dominant diminished (half-whole) scale.