C♯m7♭5 chord on guitar

C♯m7♭5 is C♯, E, G and B. The easiest shape is x-4-2-0-0-0. Tap Play, then slow it down.

How to play C♯m7♭5 on guitar

Shape 1, x-4-2-0-0-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Index finger: D string, 2nd fret (E).
2. Middle finger: A string, 4th fret (C♯).
3. Let the open G, B and high E strings ring (G, B and E).
4. Don't play the low E string: start your strum on the A string.

• Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.

Other ways to play C♯m7♭5

• 9-x-9-9-8-x: movable shape at the 8th fret, medium. Root on the 6th string: move it up or down and it names a different half-diminished chord.
• x-4-5-4-5-x: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the Am7♭5 shape moved up the neck.
• x-x-11-12-12-12: movable shape at the 11th fret, medium. A small shape for quick changes and a lighter sound.

C♯m7♭5 chord changes

Songs rarely hold C♯m7♭5 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

• F♯7 (the iiø7 of a minor key heads to V7): C♯m7♭5 (x-4-2-0-0-0) to F♯7 (2-4-2-3-2-2): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 2nd fret, move the middle finger to the G string, 3rd fret, the ring finger comes down on the A string, 4th fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. C♯ and E carry over from one chord to the other. F♯7 on guitar
• Dmaj7 (I in D major): C♯m7♭5 (x-4-2-0-0-0) to Dmaj7 (x-x-0-2-2-2): the index finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, the middle finger goes to the B string, 2nd fret, the ring finger comes down on the high E string, 2nd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share C♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. Dmaj7 on guitar
• F♯m7 (iii in D major): C♯m7♭5 (x-4-2-0-0-0) to F♯m7 (2-4-2-2-2-2): your middle finger stays put, the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 2nd fret. Very little moves, so this change comes fast. The two chords share C♯ and E, which is why the change sounds smooth. F♯m7 on guitar

C♯m7♭5 is a half-diminished chord (minor seventh flat five). C♯m7♭5 is the ii chord of a minor key, the first step of a minor ii–V–i. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Practice C♯m7♭5 in two minutes

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: C♯, E, G, B, E. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Next, alternate x-4-2-0-0-0 and 9-x-9-9-8-x, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

D♭m7♭5 is another spelling of C♯m7♭5. Same shape, same sound.

C♯m7♭5 in context

• viiø7 in D major
• iiø7 in B minor

C♯m7♭5 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try C♯m7♭5 on ukulele or C♯m7♭5 on piano, or compare them on the C♯m7♭5 chord page.

Related C♯ chords on guitar

• C♯dim
• C♯m7
• C♯dim7
• C♯m6

Other half-diminished chords

• Cm7♭5
• Dm7♭5
• D♯m7♭5
• Em7♭5
• Fm7♭5
• F♯m7♭5
• Gm7♭5
• G♯m7♭5
• Am7♭5
• B♭m7♭5
• Bm7♭5

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside C♯m7♭5. Updated September 2026. Print this chord