The C-sharp minor scale is a musical scale that consists of the following notes: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B. It is a natural minor scale, meaning that it follows the pattern of whole and half steps that are characteristic of this type of scale. In the key of C# minor, the tonic (or root) note is C#, and the other notes of the scale are built around it. The C# minor scale is often used in classical, jazz, and rock music, and is a common choice for soloing and improvising in these styles.
| Relative key | E major |
|---|---|
| Parallel key | C-sharp major |
| Dominant key | G-sharp minor |
| Subdominant | F-sharp minor |
To play the C-sharp minor scale, follow these steps:
- Start by placing your left hand on the piano keys in the C-sharp minor scale position, with your thumb on C-sharp, your index finger on D-sharp, your middle finger on E-sharp, your ring finger on G-sharp, and your pinky on A-sharp.
- With your right hand, play the first note of the scale by pressing down on the key of C-sharp with your index finger.
- Next, move your index finger to the key of D-sharp and play that note.
- Continue playing the scale by moving through the remaining notes in order: E-sharp, F-sharp, G-sharp, A-sharp, B, and C-sharp.
- Once you have played through the entire scale, you can start the scale again from the beginning and repeat as desired.
- To play the scale in a different octave, simply move your hand up or down the keyboard to the desired octave and play the scale starting on the key of C-sharp in that octave.
- To play the scale in a different key, simply move your hand to the position of the desired key on the keyboard and play the scale starting on that key.