How to play D♯min7(♭5)/C♯ chord on guitar
Shape 99bbab
Shape characteristics
Partial barre
One finger presses two strings at the same fret. A lighter, less tiring grip than a full barre while still being fully movable.
Upper register · fret 9-11
Brighter, more focused tone with less low-end. Works well when layering over a bassist or second guitar, and integrates naturally with lead-line phrasing higher on the neck.
Full six-string voicing
All six strings ring, giving you the biggest, most resonant version of this chord, ideal for strumming and solo acoustic contexts.
Bass: C♯ · Top: D♯
The 7th (or equivalent upper tone) is in the bass, producing a suspended, leading quality that naturally wants to resolve downward.
Shape 90bbab is the closest alternative voicing. Try both to see which fits better.
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 9th fret of the 5th string and 6th string in barre position
- 2 Place the 2nd finger on the 10th fret of the 2nd string
- 3 Place the 3rd finger on the 11th fret of the 3rd string and 4th string in barre position
- 4 Place the 4th finger on the 11th fret of the 1st string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "99bbab" mean?
The sequence 99bbab is a highly compact guitar chord notation. It represents the fret played on each of the 6 strings, reading left-to-right from the thickest (lowest pitch) string to the thinnest (highest pitch) string: E, A, D, G, B, e.
- x means the string is muted or skipped entirely.
- 0 means the string is played "open" (without pressing over a fret).
- 1-9 represent standard fret numbers 1 to 9.
- a, b, c... represent frets 10, 11, 12, and higher (where a=10, b=11, c=12).
Can I play this D♯min7(♭5)/C♯ shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a D♯min7(♭5)/C♯ chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for D♯min7(♭5)/C♯. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
Other shapes
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