Chord Colors

C seven sharp five chord

About the C seven sharp five chord

C seven sharp five sits outside the plain diatonic set, so it is borrowed to add color and tension. Think of it as a C seventh sharp five chord.

Its notes are C, E, G, and B. The intervals are a major third, an augmented fifth, and a minor seventh.

Also called augmented seventh and +7.

Learn more about the C7♯5 chord

Inversions

Position 1 of 4

C seven sharp five (root position)

Notes and intervals

1CCRoot
2EEMajor 3rd
3G#G♯Augmented 5th
4BbB♭Minor 7th

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Other C chords

Simpler triads

Suspended

Sixths and sevenths

Extensions

Altered

Functional relationships

These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.

Relative minor

The relative minor uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a calmer, darker home base.

Parallel minor

The parallel minor keeps the same root note but lowers the third, giving the same key a darker, sadder sound.

Dominant

The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.

Subdominant

The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.

Tritone substitution

The tritone substitution is a dominant chord a tritone away that shares the same tension, so it can stand in for this chord and resolve the same way.

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C7♯5 chord on piano shown as colored note dots
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