Scale reference
C minor scale
C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭
The C minor scale runs C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭ and then back to C. It follows the natural minor step pattern — tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone — which is what makes it minor rather than any other kind of scale.
It uses each letter name once, which is why it is written with 3 flats.
The notes
The step pattern
Every minor scale uses the same sequence of steps. Change the starting note and the pattern is what you keep.
- C1tone
- D2semi
- E♭3tone
- F4tone
- G5semi
- A♭6tone
- B♭7tone
- C8
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Name | Interval from C | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Tonic | Perfect unison | 0 |
| 2 | D | Supertonic | Major second | 2 |
| 3 | E♭ | Mediant | Minor third | 3 |
| 4 | F | Subdominant | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | G | Dominant | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | A♭ | Submediant | Minor sixth | 8 |
| 7 | B♭ | Subtonic | Minor seventh | 10 |
The other two minor forms
Minor comes in three forms. They share the first five notes and differ near the top.
| Form | Notes | Why it exists |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ | The plain form, matching the key signature. |
| Harmonic minor | C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B | Raises the seventh degree, restoring the leading tone. |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | C – D – E♭ – F – G – A – B | Raises the sixth as well, smoothing the step-and-a-half gap. |
A piece in C minor will move between all three depending on what the harmony needs at that moment. See minor scales for how they are chosen.
Key signature
C minor is the scale of the key of C minor, which has 3 flats. The key page lists the seven chords built on these notes.