C#m9 piano chord — the keys, the inversions, the theory
C#m9 is a minor ninth chord built from C#, E, G#, B, D#. Below: the keys to press, every inversion with its own diagram, the intervals it is made of, the keys whose scale contains it, and a progression that actually uses it. Press any diagram to hear it.
C#m9
C# · E · G# · B · D#
Semitones above the root: 0 – 3 – 7 – 10 – 14
The third is minor — one semitone lower than in a major chord — which is where the darker colour comes from.
Inversions of C#m9
Root position
C# · E · G# · B · D# · bass C#
Inversion 1
E · G# · B · C# · D# · bass E
Inversion 2
G# · B · C# · D# · E · bass G#
Inversion 3
B · C# · D# · E · G# · bass B
Same chord, different note at the bottom. Press a diagram to hear it — inversions are how you move between chords without jumping your hand across the keyboard.
Keys that contain C#m9
- Evi
- Bii
In E it does this job: I – V – vi – IV
- E
- B
- C#m9
- A