C♯m6/9

Character: dark, open

  1. C♯Rtriad
  2. E♭3triad
  3. G♯5triad
  4. A♯6add
  5. D♯9add
Voicings

3 ways to play C♯m6/9

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape Root position C♯m6/9
1 2 3 4 5 9 6 ♭3 R ♭3

Frets x 4 2 3 4 0Notes C♯ E A♯ D♯Intervals 1 ♭3 6 9Base triadC♯ minor, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

GG shape Root position C♯m6/9
6 7 8 9 5 9 6 ♭3 R

Frets 9 7 8 8 x xNotes C♯ E A♯ D♯Intervals 1 ♭3 6 9Base triadC♯ minor, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

EE shape Root position C♯m6/9
9 10 11 12 5 9 6 ♭3 R

Frets x x 11 9 11 11Notes C♯ E A♯ D♯Intervals 1 ♭3 6 9Base triadC♯ minor, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

The rules

The construction rules C♯m6/9 follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. No 7th, no stack

    6, add9, add11 and 6/9 are a triad with a colour note, not a stack. Without a 7th the chord sounds open rather than jazzy.

  3. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Minor 6/9 in every key

C♯m6/9 chord questions

What notes are in C♯m6/9?

C♯m6/9 is spelled C♯ E G♯ A♯ D♯: C♯ is the root, E is the ♭3rd, G♯ is the 5th, A♯ is the 6th, D♯ is the 9th.

What is the formula of C♯m6/9?

1 ♭3 5 6 9. It is a C♯ minor triad with the 6th, 9th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play C♯m6/9 on guitar?

This page shows 3 voicings of C♯m6/9, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.