The C sharp Minor Scale: A Complete Guide

By Jade Bultitude
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The C Sharp Minor scale is a 7 note scale that uses the following notes:

C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale with note names underneath

The scale is usually written as starting and ending on C# and it can be repeating at higher or lower octaves. C sharp Minor is a diatonic scale, which means that it is in a key, in this case the key of C sharp Minor!

The Natural Minor Scale

There are three types of minor scale: the natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor. In this post we will stick to C# Natural Minor Scale, but you learn about C# Harmonic Minor and C# Melodic Minor in our other articles. 

How is the C# Natural Minor scale created?

All Natural Minor scales follow a specific pattern of tones and semitones (steps and half steps). The tone pattern is:

Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone

If we take the start at a C and follow the pattern we will get the C Natural Minor Scale. To create the C# Natural Minor scale, follow the tone/semitone pattern starting on the note C#.

Whichever note you start on, you will always achieve the minor scale starting on this note. 

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale with tone and semitone labels underneath

C sharp Minor Scale on the Piano

As you can see, if we were to play this scale on the piano diagram we only use the white keys. 

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale, on piano with notes labelled

To play this scale on the piano use the fingers written below.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale piano fingering, right hand

C sharp Minor Scale on the Guitar

To play the C# Natural Minor scale on the guitar use the tab below.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale, guitart tab 2 octaves

Degrees of the Scale: C sharp Minor  

Each note in the C# Minor scale has a position that we call the degree of the scale. The first note of the scale is called the ‘tonic’ note.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale with degress of the cale labelled

Key Signature for A Minor

Rather than writing the sharp signs on the individual notes, we can now make use of the key signature. C sharp Minor is the relative minor of E Major. You can work this out because C# is the sixth note of E Major.

This means that they both share the same key signature and have 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale key signature treble clef, four sharps

And here is the full scale with the key signature.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale, treble clef with key signature

C Sharp Minor Scale in Different Clefs

Treble Clef

Below is the C# Natural Minor Scale written out in the treble clef, both ascending and descending.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale, treble clef, ascending and descending

Bass Clef

Below is the C# Natural Minor Scale written out in the bass clef, both ascending and descending.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale, bass clef, ascending and descending

Alto Clef

Below is the C# Natural Minor Scale written out in the alto clef, both ascending and descending.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale, alto clef, ascending and descending

Tenor Clef

Below is the C# Natural Minor Scale written out in the tenor clef, both ascending and descending.

C Sharp Natural Minor Scale, tenor clef, ascending and descending

What is the Relative Major of C sharp Minor

Circle of fifths, c sharp minor and e major highlighed, treble clef key signatures

As you can see from the circle of fifths diagram C sharp Minor is the relative minor of E Major. Or to say it another way: E Major is the relative major of C sharp Minor. This means that E Major and C sharp Minor share the same key signature and have 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#.

Remember that both scales are identical except for the fact that C Sharp Minor starts on ‘C#’ and E Major starts on an ‘E’.

What are the chords in the C sharp Minor scale?

There are chords starting on each note of the A Minor Scale. To learn more, see our dedicated post on C# Minor Chords. 

 What do we mean when we say a piece is ‘in the key of C# Minor’?

  If we say that a piece of music is in the key of C sharp Minor, this means a few things:

  • The key signature will have 4 sharps (F#, C#, G# and D#) as the relative major is E major.
  • The tonic (or root note) of the piece will be C sharp. This note will sound the most stable in the whole piece.
  • The piece will mostly use notes from this scale, but these could be in any octave.
  • The chords used will be those chords that are in C sharp Minor. 

What’s next….

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AUTHOR
Jade is a flute player and music educator with a passion for educating the next generation of musicians. She is a Masters Graduate from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Jade has been helping people learn music theory for more than 10 years from pre school children all the way to degree level studies.