G sharp minor scale
The G♯ minor scale is G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯. It has 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯), its relative major is B major, and the standard piano fingering is 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 in the right hand and 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 in the left hand.
G sharp minor scale notes
The G♯ minor scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯. Five of the seven are black keys on the piano (G♯, A♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯); the other two 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 A♯ and B and D♯ and E.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | G♯ | la | Black |
| 2 | Supertonic | A♯ | ti | Black |
| 3 | Mediant | B | do | White |
| 4 | Subdominant | C♯ | re | Black |
| 5 | Dominant | D♯ | mi | Black |
| 6 | Submediant | E | fa | White |
| 7 | Subtonic | F♯ | sol | Black |
Natural, harmonic and melodic G sharp minor
G sharp minor has three common forms. The natural minor follows the key signature. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note to F𝄪, which makes the chord on the fifth degree major (D♯) and gives a strong pull back to G♯. The melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh notes on the way up (E♯ and F𝄪) and traditionally plays the natural form on the way down.
| Form | Notes | Changed from natural |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯ | Nothing: follows the key signature |
| Harmonic minor | G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F𝄪, G♯ | 7th raised to F𝄪 |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F𝄪, G♯ | 6th and 7th raised to E♯ and F𝄪 |
The raised seventh in G♯ minor is a double sharp, F𝄪, written with the 𝄪 sign. On the piano it is the white key G.
G sharp minor key signature
The G♯ minor key signature has 5 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯, written in that order at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. B 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, D♯ on the fourth line from the bottom and A♯ in the second space from the bottom.
Shortcut: the last sharp, A♯, is one half step below the major tonic (B); the minor key with the same signature starts three half steps lower, on G♯.
G sharp minor sounds the same as A♭ minor, which is written with 7 flats. The piano keys are identical; only the spelling changes, and most music uses the spelling with fewer accidentals.
G sharp minor scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯ | 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 |
| Left hand | G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯ | 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 |
Right hand going up: A♯ (finger 4) to B (finger 1), the thumb passes under; then D♯ (finger 3) to E (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: B (finger 1) to C♯ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb; then E (finger 1) to F♯ (finger 4), 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 G sharp minor
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of G♯ minor. The primary chords are G♯m (i), C♯m (iv) and D♯ (V). The natural minor's own fifth chord is D♯m (v), but music in G♯ minor usually raises the seventh and uses D♯ (V) instead.
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | G♯m | G♯ B D♯ | G♯m7 | G♯ B D♯ F♯ |
| ii° | A♯° | A♯ C♯ E | A♯m7♭5 | A♯ C♯ E G♯ |
| III | B | B D♯ F♯ | Bmaj7 | B D♯ F♯ A♯ |
| iv | C♯m | C♯ E G♯ | C♯m7 | C♯ E G♯ B |
| v | D♯m | D♯ F♯ A♯ | D♯m7 | D♯ F♯ A♯ C♯ |
| VI | E | E G♯ B | Emaj7 | E G♯ B D♯ |
| VII | F♯ | F♯ A♯ C♯ | F♯7 | F♯ A♯ C♯ E |
A common minor progression, i iv V i, is G♯m, C♯m, D♯, G♯m in G♯ minor, using the major V from the harmonic form. The dominant seventh is D♯7 (D♯ F𝄪 A♯ C♯).
Reading G sharp minor on the staff
G sharp minor has five sharps. Its harmonic form raises F sharp to F double sharp, played on the white key G, the double sharp that catches most readers the first time.
On the treble staff, G♯4 to G♯5 needs no ledger lines. On the bass staff, G♯3 to G♯4 needs 3 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from G♯2.
The reading trap in G♯ 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♯, D♯ and A♯), then check every F, C, G, D and A on the page.
How to practise the G sharp minor scale
- Say the notes before you play them: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯.
- 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 3 2 1 4 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: G♯m (G♯ B D♯), C♯m (C♯ E G♯) and D♯ (D♯ F𝄪 A♯).
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 G sharp minor
- B major scale: relative major, same key signature
- G sharp major scale (same keys as A flat major): parallel major, same tonic
- D sharp minor scale (same keys as E flat minor): a fifth above, 6 sharps
- C sharp minor scale: a fifth below, 4 sharps
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the G sharp minor scale?
The G♯ minor scale is G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, then G♯ again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in G sharp minor?
G sharp minor has 5 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯.
What is the relative major of G sharp minor?
B major. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on B.
What chords are in G sharp minor?
G♯m (i), A♯° (ii°), B (III), C♯m (iv), D♯m (v), E (VI), F♯ (VII). With the raised seventh of the harmonic minor, the V chord becomes D♯.
What is the fingering for the G sharp minor scale on piano?
Right hand 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 going up from G♯; left hand 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.