C♯ Minor Scale on Guitar

The C♯ Minor Scale is a 7-note scale (sad, emotional) built from the formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. Its notes are C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B. Below you'll find the scale on the whole fretboard, the chords that belong to it and related scales — open it in the interactive fretboard for 3NPS, CAGED and pentatonic box patterns with playback.

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteInterval
1C♯root
2D♯Major 2nd
♭3EMinor 3rd
4F♯Perfect 4th
5G♯Perfect 5th
♭6AMinor 6th
♭7BMinor 7th

Steps: W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)

C♯ Minor Scale on the fretboard (15 frets)

C♯ Minor Scale – guitar fretboardEADGBEE♭3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♯2E♭3F♯4A♭6B♭7C♯1D♯2E♭3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♭7D♯2E♭3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♯2E♭3G♯5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♯2E♭3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♯2E♭3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♭7C♯1E♭3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♯2E♭3F♯4123456789101112131415

Standard tuning E A D G B E. Pink = root, purple = characteristic notes. 3NPS, CAGED and box patterns plus other tunings are in the interactive fretboard.

Chords in the scale

Modes with the same notes

Other scales from C♯

Aeolian (Minor) in other keys

FAQ

What notes are in the C♯ Minor Scale?
The C♯ Minor Scale has 7 notes: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.
What intervals make up the C♯ Minor Scale?
Step pattern: W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Intervals from the root: 2 (Major 2nd), ♭3 (Minor 3rd), 4 (Perfect 4th), 5 (Perfect 5th), ♭6 (Minor 6th), ♭7 (Minor 7th).
What chords are in the C♯ Minor Scale?
Triads: C♯m, D♯°, E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B. Seventh chords: C♯m7, D♯m7♭5, Emaj7, F♯m7, G♯m7, Amaj7, B7.
What is the relative major of C♯ minor?
E major — it shares all notes with C♯ minor.