D/C# on guitar: D with C sharp in the bass
D/C# is D with C♯ in the bass. That C♯ is the chord's 7th, so what you hear is D7M in 3rd inversion (D7M/C♯), with the notes D, F♯, A, C♯.
- Notes
- DF♯AC♯
- Bass
- C♯ 7th of the chord · D7M
How to play D/C# on guitar
-
Shape 1 · 1st position
-
Shape 2 · fret 2
-
Shape 3 · fret 4 · barre
-
Shape 4 · fret 7 · barre
-
Shape 5 · fret 10 · barre
Where D/C# shows up
The 7th in the bass wants to step down. The most common path: D → D/C# → Bm, with the bass walking down D, C♯, B.
Other positions of D
Frequently asked questions
What does D/C# mean?
D/C# reads "D over C♯": you play D and the lowest note is C♯. In a chord symbol, whatever comes after the slash is always the bass.
What is the difference between D/C# and D?
D/C# has one more note: C♯ in the bass, which is the 7th. That is why it sounds like D7M in 3rd inversion.
How do you play D/C# on guitar?
The shapes on this page go from easiest to hardest. In all of them C♯ is the lowest note; the low strings that would sound below it are not played (x).