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C♯ natural minor scale

C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B: the C♯ natural minor scale has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). Change the root or the scale type below to see any other scale.

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Music scales

C♯ natural minor scale

C♯, 1D♯, 2E, ♭3F♯, 4G♯, 5A, ♭6B, ♭7

The C♯ natural minor scale has 7 notes: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B.

Formula1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps (W = whole, H = half)W – H – W – W – H – W – W
Semitones2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2

On the piano

EABC♯D♯F♯G♯C♯

On the staff (treble clef)

On the guitar fretboard (standard tuning, frets 0-12)

123456789101112EADGBEEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AD♯EF♯G♯ABC♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

Scale degrees

DegreeNoteNameInterval from the tonic
1C♯tonicperfect unison
2D♯supertonicmajor second
♭3Emediantminor third
4F♯subdominantperfect fourth
5G♯dominantperfect fifth
♭6Asubmediantminor sixth
♭7Bsubtonicminor seventh
Key signature4 sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯)
Relative majorE major

Chords in C♯ minor

C♯m, iD♯dim, ii°E, IIIF♯m, ivG♯m, vA, VIB, VII

Notes of the C♯ natural minor scale

The C♯ natural minor scale has 7 notes: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B. Like every natural minor scale, it follows the pattern W–H–W–W–H–W–W (W = whole step, H = half step) from C♯ up to the next C♯.

It has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯.

DegreeNoteName
1C♯Tonic
2D♯Supertonic
♭3EMediant
4F♯Subdominant
5G♯Dominant
♭6ASubmediant
♭7BSubtonic

Chords in C♯ minor

Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the chords of C♯ minor: C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m, A and B.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
iC♯m (C♯ E G♯)C♯m7 (C♯ E G♯ B)
ii°D♯dim (D♯ F♯ A)D♯m7♭5 (D♯ F♯ A C♯)
IIIE (E G♯ B)Emaj7 (E G♯ B D♯)
ivF♯m (F♯ A C♯)F♯m7 (F♯ A C♯ E)
vG♯m (G♯ B D♯)G♯m7 (G♯ B D♯ F♯)
VIA (A C♯ E)Amaj7 (A C♯ E G♯)
VIIB (B D♯ F♯)B7 (B D♯ F♯ A)

Key signature and related keys

C♯ minor uses the key signature with 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). Its relative major is E major: the same notes and key signature, starting on E. Its parallel major is C♯ major, which starts on the same note, C♯.

Harmonic and melodic minor

The C♯ harmonic minor scale raises the seventh note by a half step: C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B♯. The raised seventh, B♯, is the one that makes the dominant chord major.

The C♯ melodic minor scale raises both the sixth and the seventh on the way up: C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ (A♯ and B♯). In classical music it usually comes back down as the natural minor.

All major and minor scales

Major scales

Natural minor scales

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the C♯ natural minor scale?
C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B.
How many sharps or flats are in C♯ minor?
4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).
What is the relative major of C♯ minor?
E major. Both keys share the same key signature.
What chords are in the key of C♯ minor?
C♯m (i), D♯dim (ii°), E (III), F♯m (iv), G♯m (v), A (VI), B (VII).

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