C#maj7b5

C#maj7b5 is C#, E#, G and B#, a major seven flat five. The shape this page opens on is written x43563, lowest string first.

Also written C#M7b5, C#Δ7b5 or C#maj7(b5). The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 5 common shapes for C#maj7b5 on the guitar, and 27 derived voicings in 3 families.

In which keys. Every note of C#maj7b5 belongs to F minor (the ♭VI) and Ab major (the IV).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x43563, x4556x, 9-8-10-10-8-8, 9-10-10-10-x-9, x-x-11-12-13-13.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. C#maj7b5 has x4x563, 9-x-10-10-8-x, 9-8-10-12-x-x, x4358x, x-x-11-10-13-15.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. C#maj7b5 has x3302x, 3435xx, x4556x, x-x-10-10-8-9, 9-10-10-10-x-x, x-x-11-12-13-13, xx3523, xx5668.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. C#maj7b5 has x3x021, 3x352x, x4x563, 8x566x, x8x688, 9-x-10-10-8-x, x-10-x-10-13-9, 13-x-11-12-13-x.

Tensions. A shell of C#maj7b5, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (D#) and the 13 (A#).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.