C♯ harmonic minor scale on guitar
The C♯ harmonic minor scale has seven notes: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B♯ (1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7). Natural minor with a raised 7th, which leads back up to the root and makes the V chord major. The neo-classical shred sound; the jump from ♭6 to 7 is three frets wide.
| Note | C♯ | D♯ | E | F♯ | G♯ | A | B♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | half | whole | whole | half | 1½ | half |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the C♯ harmonic minor scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; C♯ (C♯m) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (C♯) | C♯mhome | – |
| 2 (D♯) | D♯dimthe edge | D♯m7♭5the edge |
| ♭3 (E) | Eaugdaylight | – |
| 4 (F♯) | F♯msoft fall | F♯m7soft fall |
| 5 (G♯) | G♯the pull | G♯7the pull |
| ♭6 (A) | Acinematic | Amaj7cinematic |
| 7 (B♯) | B♯dimthe edge | – |
Scales with the same notes
Compare the C♯ minor scale, its natural minor.
Questions
What notes are in the C♯ harmonic minor scale?
C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B♯. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7, and the steps between its notes are W H W W H W+H H (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the C♯ harmonic minor scale?
The chords made only of its notes: C♯m, D♯dim, Eaug, F♯m, G♯, A and B♯dim, and as seventh chords D♯m7♭5, F♯m7, G♯7 and Amaj7. C♯ is home: C♯m is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The harmonic minor scale in every key
Other scales in C♯
D♭ majorC♯ minorC♯ minor pentatonicD♭ major pentatonicC♯ bluesC♯ DorianD♭ MixolydianD♭ LydianC♯ PhrygianC♯ melodic minorD♭ Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.