C minor scale

The C minor scale is C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C. The key of C minor has three flats: B♭, E♭ and A♭. Its relative major is E♭ major, which uses the same key signature.

C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C

Key signature3 flats
Relative majorE♭ major
Parallel majorC major
StepsW H W W H W W

C minor scale on the staff

Here is one octave of the C minor scale going up, written with the key signature (three flats: B♭, E♭ and A♭). Every note on those lines and spaces is played sharp or flat, so the notes themselves need no extra signs.

C minor scale, up and back down.

The same scale written with accidentals instead of a key signature.

On the bass staff, two octaves lower.

C minor scale on the piano

The keys of the C minor scale. The natural minor pattern is W H W W H W W.

Scale degrees

Degree	Note	Name	Solfege
1	C	tonic	la
2	D	supertonic	ti
3	E♭	mediant	do
4	F	subdominant	re
5	G	dominant	mi
6	A♭	submediant	fa
7	B♭	subtonic	sol

C minor key signature

The key signature sits right after the clef at the start of every line. C minor has three flats: B♭, E♭ and A♭. They are written in the standard order, which is the same in every key with flats.

Treble clef

Bass clef

Chords in the key of C minor

Build a chord on each note of the scale using only notes from the scale and you get the chords of the key. The Roman numeral says which scale degree the chord sits on; capitals are major chords, lowercase are minor, and ° means diminished.

The seven chords of C minor: Cm, Ddim, E♭, Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭.

Numeral	Chord	Notes	Seventh chord
i	Cm	C E♭ G	Cm7 (i7)
ii°	Ddim	D F A♭	Dm7♭5 (iiø7)
III	E♭	E♭ G B♭	E♭maj7 (IIImaj7)
iv	Fm	F A♭ C	Fm7 (iv7)
v	Gm	G B♭ D	Gm7 (v7)
VI	A♭	A♭ C E♭	A♭maj7 (VImaj7)
VII	B♭	B♭ D F	B♭7 (VII7)

In minor keys the 7th note is often raised (the harmonic minor), which turns the v chord into a major V (G) and the VII into a diminished vii° (Bdim). That V chord is what gives minor-key music its strong pull home.

Harmonic and melodic minor

C harmonic minor scale

C D E♭ F G A♭ B C. The harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, so the scale leads strongly back to the tonic.

C harmonic minor, with the changed notes shown as accidentals.

C melodic minor scale

C D E♭ F G A B C. The melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th going up; in classical music it usually comes down as the natural minor.

C melodic minor, with the changed notes shown as accidentals.

About the key of C minor

C minor has three flats: B♭, E♭ and A♭, and shares the key signature of E♭ major. It is the key that many people link with stormy, determined music in the Classical and Romantic periods. It is comfortable on piano and common for band and orchestra. The raised seventh degree is B natural.

Well-known music in C minor:

Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 (Beethoven)
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, Pathetique (Beethoven)
Etude in C minor, Op. 10 No. 12, Revolutionary (Chopin)

Check yourself

1. How many flats are in the key of C minor?

2. What is the 5th note (the dominant) of C minor?

3. What is the relative major of C minor?