C♯ minor scale on guitar
The C♯ minor scale has seven notes: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B (1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7). The plain minor scale: the minor pentatonic with the 2nd and ♭6 filled in. Sad or serious, and the home of minor-key rock and metal, over changes like Am, F and G.
| 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 | whole | whole |
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♯ 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 | C♯m7home |
| 2 (D♯) | D♯dimthe edge | D♯m7♭5the edge |
| ♭3 (E) | Edaylight | Emaj7daylight |
| 4 (F♯) | F♯msoft fall | F♯m7soft fall |
| 5 (G♯) | G♯msoft fall | G♯m7soft fall |
| ♭6 (A) | Acinematic | Amaj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (B) | Bheroic | B7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
Its relative major is the E major scale: the same notes, started from E.
The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of C♯ minor.
Questions
What notes are in the C♯ 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 W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the C♯ minor scale?
The chords made only of its notes: C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m, A and B, and as seventh chords C♯m7, D♯m7♭5, Emaj7, F♯m7, G♯m7, Amaj7 and B7. C♯ is home: C♯m is the chord it sounds most settled over.
What is the relative major of the C♯ minor scale?
The E major scale, which has the same notes started from E.
The minor scale in every key
Other scales in C♯
D♭ majorC♯ minor pentatonicD♭ major pentatonicC♯ bluesC♯ DorianD♭ MixolydianD♭ LydianC♯ PhrygianC♯ harmonic minorC♯ 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.