C sharp minor scale
The C♯ minor scale is C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯. It has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯), its relative major is E major, and the standard piano fingering is 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 in the right hand and 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 in the left hand.
C sharp minor scale notes
The C♯ minor scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯. Four of the seven are black keys on the piano (C♯, D♯, F♯ and G♯); the other three are white keys.
The step pattern is W H W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between D♯ and E and G♯ and A.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | C♯ | la | Black |
| 2 | Supertonic | D♯ | ti | Black |
| 3 | Mediant | E | do | White |
| 4 | Subdominant | F♯ | re | Black |
| 5 | Dominant | G♯ | mi | Black |
| 6 | Submediant | A | fa | White |
| 7 | Subtonic | B | sol | White |
Natural, harmonic and melodic C sharp minor
C sharp minor has three common forms. The natural minor follows the key signature. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note to B♯, which makes the chord on the fifth degree major (G♯) and gives a strong pull back to C♯. The melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh notes on the way up (A♯ and B♯) and traditionally plays the natural form on the way down.
| Form | Notes | Changed from natural |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ | Nothing: follows the key signature |
| Harmonic minor | C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B♯, C♯ | 7th raised to B♯ |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯, C♯ | 6th and 7th raised to A♯ and B♯ |
The raised seventh, B♯, is written as a sharp but played on a white key: the key usually called C.
C sharp minor key signature
The C♯ minor key signature has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯, written in that order at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. E major shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the sharps sit F♯ on the fifth line from the bottom, C♯ in the third space from the bottom, G♯ in the space just above the top line and D♯ on the fourth line from the bottom.
Shortcut: the last sharp, D♯, is one half step below the major tonic (E); the minor key with the same signature starts three half steps lower, on C♯.
C sharp minor scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ | 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 |
| Left hand | C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ | 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 |
Right hand going up: D♯ (finger 4) to E (finger 1), the thumb passes under; then G♯ (finger 3) to A (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: E (finger 1) to F♯ (finger 4), the finger passes over the thumb; then B (finger 1) to C♯ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in C sharp minor
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of C♯ minor. The primary chords are C♯m (i), F♯m (iv) and G♯ (V). The natural minor's own fifth chord is G♯m (v), but music in C♯ minor usually raises the seventh and uses G♯ (V) instead.
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | C♯m | C♯ E G♯ | C♯m7 | C♯ E G♯ B |
| ii° | D♯° | D♯ F♯ A | D♯m7♭5 | D♯ F♯ A C♯ |
| III | E | E G♯ B | Emaj7 | E G♯ B D♯ |
| iv | F♯m | F♯ A C♯ | F♯m7 | F♯ A C♯ E |
| v | G♯m | G♯ B D♯ | G♯m7 | G♯ B D♯ F♯ |
| VI | A | A C♯ E | Amaj7 | A C♯ E G♯ |
| VII | B | B D♯ F♯ | B7 | B D♯ F♯ A |
A common minor progression, i iv V i, is C♯m, F♯m, G♯, C♯m in C♯ minor, using the major V from the harmonic form. The dominant seventh is G♯7 (G♯ B♯ D♯ F♯).
Reading C sharp minor on the staff
C sharp minor has four sharps. The first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is in C sharp minor, and its harmonic form raises B to B sharp, played on the white key C.
On the treble staff, C♯4 to C♯5 needs 1 ledger line below the staff. On the bass staff, C♯3 to C♯4 needs 1 ledger line above the staff.
The reading trap in C♯ minor is the key signature: the sharps are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯), then check every F, C, G and D on the page.
How to practise the C sharp minor scale
- Say the notes before you play them: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 in the right hand and 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: C♯m (C♯ E G♯), F♯m (F♯ A C♯) and G♯ (G♯ B♯ D♯).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills minor scales (natural and harmonic, one octave), triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to C sharp minor
- E major scale: relative major, same key signature
- C sharp major scale (same keys as D flat major): parallel major, same tonic
- G sharp minor scale: a fifth above, 5 sharps
- F sharp minor scale: a fifth below, 3 sharps
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the C sharp minor scale?
The C♯ minor scale is C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, then C♯ again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in C sharp minor?
C sharp minor has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯.
What is the relative major of C sharp minor?
E major. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on E.
What chords are in C sharp minor?
C♯m (i), D♯° (ii°), E (III), F♯m (iv), G♯m (v), A (VI), B (VII). With the raised seventh of the harmonic minor, the V chord becomes G♯.
What is the fingering for the C sharp minor scale on piano?
Right hand 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 going up from C♯; left hand 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.