C# Minor
C sharp Minor scale for guitar presented by diagram.
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, 9th fret.
C# Minor 2 octaves
C# Minor full fretboard
C# Minor with note names
Shape 1 (8th position) with fingerings
Shape 2 (11th position) with fingerings
Shape 3 (1st position) with fingerings
Shape 4 (4th position) with fingerings
Shape 5 (6th 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 | E | Minor third | Mediant |
| 4 | F# | Perfect fourth | Subdominant |
| 5 | G# | Perfect fifth | Dominant |
| b6 | A | Minor sixth | Submediant |
| b7 | B | 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#-E | m3 |
| C#-F# | P4 |
| C#-G# | P5 |
| C#-A | m6 |
| C#-B | m7 |
| Notes (descending) | Interval |
|---|---|
| C#-B | M2 |
| C#-A | M3 |
| C#-G# | P4 |
| C#-F# | P5 |
| C#-E | M6 |
| C#-D# | m7 |
Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.
The C sharp 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 E 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:
| C#m, C#m7, C#m9, C#m11 |
| D#dim, D#m7b5 |
| E, Emaj7, E6, E6/9, Emaj9, Emaj13 |
| F#m, F#m7, F#m6, F#m9, F#m11, F#m13 |
| G#m, G#m7 |
| A, Amaj7, A6, A6/9, Amaj9 |
| B, B7, B6, B9, B11, B13 |
The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the C# Minor scale in which C#m is the tonic triad and Cm7 the tonic 7th chord.
Start the audio and play along! 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.