Voicings · C♯°7 · Piano
C♯°7 is spelled C♯ – E – G – B♭ (1 ♭3 ♭5 ?) — passing chords between diatonic chords, and as a 7♭9 without its root. Here are 4 ways to voice it on piano: close position, drop 2, drop 3, shell. Every diagram is playable — press play to hear the chord, or “roll it” to hear the voices one by one, low to high.
The voicings
Root, third, fifth and seventh stacked within one octave — the reference voicing (piano; too tight to finger on guitar).
Take the close voicing and drop its second-highest voice an octave. The most-used four-note voicing on guitar and in piano left hands.
Drop the third-highest voice of the close voicing an octave: a wide, open sound.
Root, seventh and third only. The fifth is dropped — it adds nothing to the chord's identity — leaving a light, clear voicing.
Reference
| Chord tone | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♯ | unison |
| ♭3 | E | minor 3rd |
| ♭5 | G | tritone |
| ? | B♭ | major 6th |
Arpeggio: C♯°7 arpeggio on piano. Scale: C♯ Diminished (whole–half).
Common questions
C♯, E, G, B♭ — chord tones 1 ♭3 ♭5 ?.
The shell voicing: C♯ – B♭ – E in the left hand. Three notes that carry the whole identity of the chord.
Start from the close voicing C♯ E G B♭ and drop the second note from the top an octave: G – C♯ – E – B♭. It spreads the chord so it fits the hand — and on guitar it fits four adjacent strings.
C♯°7 is passing chords between diatonic chords, and as a 7♭9 without its root. Its character is symmetrical, restless.
Keep going
Same chord on guitar · Diminished 7th hub.
Other chords from C♯