C sharp diminished chord (C#°) on piano
The C sharp diminished chord (C#°) on piano has 3 notes: C sharp, E, and G (C♯, E, G). With the right hand, use fingers 1-3-5; with the left hand, 5-3-1 (1 is the thumb). On the keyboard below, the root (C sharp) has the strongest color; each key shows the note name and the degree.
- Notes
- C♯EG
- Formula
- 1♭3♭5
How to play C#° on piano
Root position · From low to high: C♯ E G
Right hand: 1-3-5 Left hand: 5-3-1
Fingers: 1 = thumb, 2 = index, 3 = middle, 4 = ring, 5 = little finger. The small dot marks middle C (C4). Tap a key to hear the note.
C#° chord inversions
Inverting a chord means putting another of its notes in the bass (the lowest key) without changing the notes. Inversions shorten the way your hand travels from one chord to the next and slightly change the color of the sound.
-
1st inversion (C#°/E)
C#°/E: E (♭3) in the bass
From low to high: E G C♯
Right hand: 1-2-5 Left hand: 5-3-1
-
2nd inversion (C#°/G)
C#°/G: G (♭5) in the bass
From low to high: G C♯ E
Right hand: 1-3-5 Left hand: 5-2-1
Notes and intervals of C#°
C#° (C sharp diminished) is built from 3 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- C♯ · 1 · root
- E · ♭3 · minor third
- G · ♭5 · diminished fifth
About the diminished chord
Three notes stacked in minor thirds: a suspenseful sound with no place to rest. In popular music it almost always works as a passing chord between two neighbours (C → C♯° → Dm), and in practice it is often swapped for the diminished seventh, which sounds fuller.
Other C sharp chords
- C#
- C#m
- C#7
- C#7M
- C#m7
- C#m7(b5)
- C#°
- C#°7
- C#+
- C#sus2
- C#sus4
- C#7sus4
- C#5
- C#add9
- C#6
- C#m6
- C#9
- C#m(add9)
- C#m9
- C#7M(9)
- C#m(7M)
- C#7M(#5)
- C#7(b9)
- C#6(9)
- C#m6(9)
- C#11
- C#m11
- C#13
- C#m13
- C#7(#9)
- C#7(#11)
- C#7(b13)
- C#7(#5)
- C#7M(#11)
- C#9sus4
Diminished: other roots
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the C#° chord on piano?
C#° (C sharp diminished) has the notes C♯, E, G. The formula is 1 · ♭3 · ♭5: root, minor third, diminished fifth.
How do you play C#° on piano?
Find the C sharp key and add the other notes above it: C♯, E, G. Play them all together. With the right hand, use fingers 1-3-5; with the left hand, 5-3-1.
What are the inversions of C#°?
1st inversion (C#°/E): E G C♯; 2nd inversion (C#°/G): G C♯ E.
What does C#° mean?
C#° is the chord symbol for C sharp diminished. Three notes stacked in minor thirds: a suspenseful sound with no place to rest. In popular music it almost always works as a passing chord between two neighbours (C → C♯° → Dm), and in practice it is often swapped for the diminished seventh, which sounds fuller.
Is the C#° chord the same on piano and keyboard?
Yes. The notes and inversions are the same on any keyboard instrument: acoustic piano, digital piano, keyboard, organ or synthesizer.