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