Learn › C Sharp Major Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
New Released in April 2026
C Sharp Major Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
C# triad inversions on guitar: the three notes C#, E# and G# on three neighbouring strings, in three positions on each of four string sets. Twelve small shapes that cover the whole neck.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Three orders of the same three notes
An inversion just reorders C#, E# and G#. Bottom note C#: root position. Bottom note E#: 1st inversion. Bottom note G#: 2nd inversion.
Bright and stable: the triad most songs are built on.
C# on each string set
Play only the three strings shown. Inside each set the three shapes follow each other up the neck: when one ends, the next begins.
G-B-e strings
2nd inversion
Root position
1st inversion
D-G-B strings
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Root position
A-D-G strings
Root position
1st inversion
2nd inversion
E-A-D strings
2nd inversion
Root position
1st inversion
From one shape to the next
Walk up the G-B-e strings through 2nd inversion (fret 2) → root position (fret 6) → 1st inversion (fret 10), then back down. The top notes E#, G#, C# change while the chord stays C#.
One area of the neck, near fret 8, already holds four C# shapes: G-B-e strings 6-6-4; D-G-B strings 6-6-6; A-D-G strings 8-6-6; E-A-D strings 9-8-6.
All C# triad frets in one table
| String set | Root position | 1st inversion | 2nd inversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-B-e strings | x x x 6 6 4 | x x x 10 9 9 | x x x 1 2 1 |
| D-G-B strings | x x 11 10 9 x | x x 3 1 2 x | x x 6 6 6 x |
| A-D-G strings | x 4 3 1 x x | x 8 6 6 x x | x 11 11 10 x x |
| E-A-D strings | 9 8 6 x x x | 13 11 11 x x x | 4 4 3 x x x |
Frets from the low E string to the high E string; x = string not played.
A short C# triad routine
- Start with the G-B-e strings only: three shapes, one minute each.
- Connect the shapes up and down the G-B-e strings, four strums per shape.
- Pick one fret area, around fret 8, and find C# on every string set without moving your hand far.
- Then test yourself: random chord names, find the closest C# shape each time.
A few minutes a day on one string set is enough; add the next set next week.
Play C# in a game
The game shows chord symbols, not diagrams, so you choose the shape: any inversion of C# counts, as long as the microphone hears the right notes.
Play the demoCommon questions
How do you play C# triads on the top strings?
On the G, B and high E strings: 2nd inversion 1-2-1; Root position 6-6-4; 1st inversion 10-9-9. Play only those three strings.
Why learn triad inversions on guitar?
They let you play C# in any area of the neck with three fingers, so chord changes stay close and the top note can follow a melody.
What does a C# triad sound like?
Bright and stable: the triad most songs are built on.
Can I practise C# with a game that listens to my guitar?
Yes. ChordRunner hears your guitar through the microphone and checks the chord in any shape or inversion. A USB MIDI keyboard works too.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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