Key guide
C♯ minor: scale, key signature and chords
C♯ minor has four sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯). Its scale is C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ — four sharps
- Scale notes
- C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B
- Relative major
- E major
- Parallel major
- D♭ major (enharmonic spelling of C♯ major)
- Dominant key
- G♯ minor
- Subdominant key
- F♯ minor
- On the piano
- 4 black keys and 3 white in the scale
The C♯ minor scale
The C♯ minor scale uses the notes C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, the natural minor pattern of whole and half steps (W–H–W–W–H–W–W) starting on C♯. Each letter name appears once, which is why the accidentals are written as F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ rather than as their enharmonic equivalents.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♯ | tonic |
| 2 | D♯ | supertonic |
| 3 | E | mediant |
| 4 | F♯ | subdominant |
| 5 | G♯ | dominant |
| 6 | A | submediant |
| 7 | B | subtonic |
D♭ minor would need eight flats, so C♯ minor (four sharps) is the only practical spelling.
Harmonic and melodic minor in C♯ minor
The natural minor scale above is the form the key signature gives you. Composers alter it to get a stronger pull to the tonic: the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree (C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B♯), and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up (C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯). A × means a double sharp.
Chords in C♯ minor
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives seven diatonic triads and seven seventh chords. The Roman numeral gives each chord’s position; the role column says what it usually does in a phrase.
| Chord | Triad | Seventh | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | C♯ E G♯ | C♯ E G♯ B | tonic |
| ii° | D♯ F♯ A | D♯ F♯ A C♯ | predominant |
| III | E G♯ B | E G♯ B D♯ | tonic substitute |
| iv | F♯ A C♯ | F♯ A C♯ E | predominant |
| v | G♯ B D♯ | G♯ B D♯ F♯ | dominant |
| VI | A C♯ E | A C♯ E G♯ | tonic substitute |
| VII | B D♯ F♯ | B D♯ F♯ A | dominant |
In a minor key the v chord from the natural scale is usually replaced in cadences by a major V built with the raised seventh: G♯ B♯ D♯.
Chord progressions in C♯ minor
Four progressions worked out in C♯ minor, each one playable:
- i – VI – III – VII C♯m – A – E – BA rising-and-falling minor loop that stays inside the natural minor scale.
- i – iv – V – i C♯m – F♯m – G♯ – C♯mThe minor cadence: the V is major, borrowing the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.
- ii° – V – i D♯° – G♯ – C♯mThe minor ii–V–i: a diminished predominant resolving to the tonic.
- i – VII – VI – V C♯m – B – A – G♯The descending “Andalusian” line, ending on the major dominant.
Keys related to C♯ minor
- Relative major: E major — same key signature, different home note.
- Dominant: G♯ minor — one step clockwise on the circle of fifths; the key most pieces in C♯ minor modulate to.
- Subdominant: F♯ minor — one step counter-clockwise, adding one flat (or removing one sharp).
- Parallel major: D♭ major (the enharmonic spelling of C♯ major) — same tonic, opposite mode.
Questions
What are the notes in C♯ minor?
The C♯ minor scale is C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B. That is the natural minor form; the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree, and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up.
How many sharps or flats are in C♯ minor?
C♯ minor has four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯.
What is the relative major of C♯ minor?
The relative major of C♯ minor is E major. The two keys share a key signature and the same seven notes, but C♯ is the home note of the minor key.
What chords are in C♯ minor?
The seven diatonic triads in C♯ minor are C♯m, D♯°, E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B. In practice the V chord is usually played as G♯, using the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.