C# Minor Major 7 Chord

What is the C# Minor Major 7 Chord?

Here's a fretboard view of the C# Minor Major 7 chord so you can see where each chord tone lives across the neck. This chord is enharmonically equivalent to Db Minor Major 7.

Notes and Arpeggios

The minor-major 7th chord pairs a minor triad with a natural (major) 7th, creating a dramatic, film-noir quality sometimes called "the James Bond chord." The clash between the minor 3rd and major 7th produces a haunting dissonance that's immediately recognizable. The chord tones are: C#, E, G#, B#. It's built from degrees 1, b3, 5, and 7.

How to Use It

This is especially common in blues and jazz, and it also shows up in funk and R&B comping. On bass, you usually outline this chord instead of strumming it: emphasize the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th as the harmony requires, then use passing tones to connect back to the groove.

Move between this chord and its nearest neighbor without leaving the same four- or five-fret box. Use the highlights to spot where the same tone repeats across strings.