C Minor
C Minor scale for guitar.
The C Minor is a seven-note scale, also called Natural C Minor. Colored circles mark the tones in the diagram, with darker color highlighting the root notes. The root notes are always C tones. In the two-octave pattern, the first root note is on the 6th string, 8th fret.
C Minor 2 octaves
C Minor full fretboard
C Minor with note names
Shape 1 (7th position) with fingerings
Shape 2 (10th position) with fingerings
Shape 3 (12th position) with fingerings
Shape 4 (3rd position) with fingerings
Shape 5 (5th position) with fingerings
The scale displayed with its numeric formula and scale degrees.
| Formula | Notes | Intervals | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Unison | Tonic |
| 2 | D | Major second | Supertonic |
| b3 | Eb | Minor third | Mediant |
| 4 | F | Perfect fourth | Subdominant |
| 5 | G | Perfect fifth | Dominant |
| b6 | Ab | Minor sixth | Submediant |
| b7 | Bb | Minor seventh | Subtonic |
The interval formula (2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2) can be expound into specific notes of the scale.
| Notes (ascending) | Interval |
|---|---|
| C-D | M2 |
| C-Eb | m3 |
| C-F | P4 |
| C-G | P5 |
| C-Ab | m6 |
| C-Bb | m7 |
| Notes (descending) | Interval |
|---|---|
| C-Bb | M2 |
| C-Ab | M3 |
| C-G | P4 |
| C-F | P5 |
| C-Eb | M6 |
| C-D | m7 |
Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.
The C Minor scale consists of seven notes. These can be described as intervals, as semi-notes or steps on the guitar fingerboard, written as 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 from the first note to the next octave.
The C Minor is relative to Eb Major. Both scales include the same notes but their tonal center differ.
The C Minor is identical with the C Aeolian mode.
Beneficial to learn this scale is to observe the note steps starting from the root: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole. The same formula applies for the whole neck.
These are chords built from the notes of this scale:
| Cm, Cm7, Cm9, Cm11 |
| Ddim, Dm7b5 |
| Eb, Ebmaj7, Eb6, Eb6/9, Ebmaj9, Ebmaj13 |
| Fm, Fm7, Fm6, Fm9, Fm11, Fm13 |
| Gm, Gm7 |
| Ab, Abmaj7, Ab6, Ab6/9, Abmaj9 |
| Bb, Bb7, Bb6, Bb9, Bb11, Bb13 |
The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the C Minor scale in which Cm is the tonic triad and Cm7 the tonic 7th chord.
Start the audio and play along with your guitar! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.
Normal tempo:C Minor scale first shape ascending.
The numbers above the tablature are suggested fingerings.