Key · minor

The key of C♯ Minor

C♯ Minor has 4 sharps (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯). Its scale is C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B. The seven chords built on those degrees are i C♯m, ii° D♯dim, III E, iv F♯m, v G♯m, VI A and VII B; the dominant is G♯m and the subdominant F♯m. Its relative major is E Major and its parallel major is D♭ Major.

Key signature
4 sharps · F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯
Scale
C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B
Relative major
E Major
Parallel major
D♭ Major

The scale on the keyboard

The C♯ Minor scale on the piano keyboard: C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B34123123C♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯

Fingering for both hands, the step pattern and the other forms are on the C♯ Natural Minor scale page.

Scale degrees

DegreeNoteNameInterval from the tonic
1C♯TonicUnison
2D♯SupertonicMajor 2nd
3EMediantMinor 3rd
4F♯SubdominantPerfect 4th
5G♯DominantPerfect 5th
6ASubmediantMinor 6th
7BSubtonicMinor 7th

Chords in C♯ Minor

One chord on each degree of the scale. The dominant is G♯m and the subdominant F♯m.

NumeralTriadQualitySeventh
iC♯mMinorC♯m7
ii°D♯dimDiminishedD♯m7♭5
IIIEMajorEmaj7
ivF♯mMinorF♯m7
vG♯mMinorG♯m7
VIAMajorAmaj7
VIIBMajorB7

Chord functions

FunctionChords
Tonici · III · VI
Subdominantii° · iv
Dominantv · VII · V (harmonic)

Common progressions in C♯ Minor

ProgressionChordsLevel
i – iv – vC♯m – F♯m – G♯mEasy
i – iv – VC♯m – F♯m – G♯Easy
i – VI – III – VIIC♯m – A – E – BEasy
i – VII – VI – VIIC♯m – B – A – BEasy
i – VII – VI – VC♯m – B – A – G♯Medium
i – VI – iv – VC♯m – A – F♯m – G♯Medium
i – iv – VII – IIIC♯m – F♯m – B – EMedium
i – III – VII – ivC♯m – E – B – F♯mMedium
i – iv – i – VC♯m – F♯m – C♯m – G♯Medium
i – IV – i – VC♯m – F♯ – C♯m – G♯Hard
ii° – V – iD♯dim – G♯ – C♯mHard
iiø7 – V7 – im7D♯m7♭5 – G♯7 – C♯m7Hard
12-Bar Minor BluesC♯m – C♯m – C♯m – C♯m – F♯m – F♯m – C♯m – C♯m – A – G♯ – C♯m – G♯Hard

The other keys

C MajorG MajorD MajorA MajorE MajorB MajorF♯ MajorD♭ MajorA♭ MajorE♭ MajorB♭ MajorF MajorA MinorE MinorB MinorF♯ MinorG♯ MinorE♭ MinorB♭ MinorF MinorC MinorG MinorD Minor

Part of the key reference. See also the chords and the scales.