E9 pedal steel chord
C♯° on pedal steel
C♯ diminished (C-sharp diminished, C#dim) · also written D♭° · 500 voicings on standard E9
Easiest C♯° on E9 pedal steel: bar on fret 2, press E→F lever, pick strings 8, 9 & 10 (G–E–C♯).
- C♯, root
- E, flat 3rd
- G, flat 5th
Where you’ll hear it: A tense passing chord between two others — old-time country, gospel and swing are full of them.
Start here: 3 grips to learn first
Every move is described by what it does to the strings, so these work on any E9 guitar. If your levers are wired differently, use the one that makes the same change.
Fret 2 · E→F lever
Easiest- Bar on fret 2 (or 14)
- Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
- Pick strings 8 · 9 · 10 — G E C♯
Fret 8 · E→F lever
Knee lever- Bar on fret 8 (or 20)
- Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
- Pick strings 3 · 4 · 5 — E C♯ G
Fret 10 · B pedal
Pedals- Bar on fret 10 (or 22)
- Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
- Pick strings 1 · 2 · 3 — E C♯ G
More grips up the neck
Mid neck · frets 5–12
Fret 11 · E→F lever
- Bar on fret 11 (or 23)
- Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
- Pick strings 6 · 8 · 9 — G E C♯
Fret 10 · B pedal + E→E♭ lever
- Bar on fret 10 (or 22)
- Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
- Push the E→E♭ lever — left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars
- Pick strings 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 — E C♯ G C♯
Fret 10 · B + C pedals
- Bar on fret 10 (or 22)
- Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
- Press the C pedal (E→F♯ + B→C♯)
- Pick strings 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 — E C♯ G E
High neck · frets 10–17
Fret 11 · E→F lever + D lever (half-stop)
- Bar on fret 11 (or 23)
- Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
- Push the D lever (half-stop) (D♯→D) — right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitars
- Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 — C♯ G E
Is your guitar set up differently?
Players wire their knee levers in different places, so this page names every change by what it does. Find the pedal or lever on your guitar that makes the same change — the name on yours doesn’t matter.
| Change | What it does · usually found |
|---|---|
| B pedalG♯→A | Raises your G♯ strings (3 & 6) a half step to A.Usually: the B pedal on almost every E9 guitar |
| C pedalE→F♯ + B→C♯ | Raises string 4 (E) to F♯ and string 5 (B) to C♯ — a whole step each.Usually: the C pedal on almost every E9 guitar |
| E→F leverE→F | Raises your E strings (4 & 8) a half step to F.Usually: left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars |
| E→E♭ leverE→E♭ | Lowers your E strings (4 & 8) a half step to E♭.Usually: left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars |
| D lever (half-stop)D♯→D | Lowers string 2 (D♯) a half step to D at the half-stop; push on past it for C♯ with string 9.Usually: right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitars |
Pick your setup in Pedal Steel Atlas (it's free) — one of the built-in copedents, or your own exact one — and it re-voices every chord for your pedals and levers — open C♯° in the app → or compare common setups.
How to read the diagrams
- Diamond = the root (the note the chord is named after). Other notes are colored by their job in the chord, like the chips above.
- Blue string = a pedal or lever changes it. The label on the left shows the new note (E→F).
- Dashed line = the bar. Lay the steel directly over that fret, not between frets.
- Colored pedal or lever = press it. String 1 is the one farthest from you; string 10 is nearest.
Keep exploring
Pedal Steel Atlas
Every C♯° voicing — on your guitar
- Your setup. Pick a built-in copedent — or build your exact one, free — and every chord re-voices for your guitar.
- Real steel tone. Hear every grip and the pedal moves between them.
- Find the one you need. Filter by top note, bass string, or the changes you want to avoid.
- From chord to tab. Drop any grip into a tab and play it back.