C Harmonic Minor Scale
The C harmonic minor scale contains C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B. It is C natural minor with the 7th raised from Bb to B. It keeps the key signature of C minor (3 flats: Bb, Eb and Ab), and the B is written as an accidental.
| Note | C | D | Eb | F | G | Ab | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
C harmonic minor scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to F. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to Ab. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
C harmonic minor vs C natural minor
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | C | D | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb |
| Harmonic | C | D | Eb | F | G | Ab | B |
Only the 7th changes. B sits a half step below C, so it pulls up to the tonic, which Bb does not. It also leaves a gap of three semitones between Ab and B, an augmented 2nd, and that gap is the sound people recognise in this scale.
What C harmonic minor is used for
Harmonic minor is what makes a minor key cadence. The raised 7th turns the chord on the 5th degree from minor into major, G (G B D), and that chord resolves firmly to Cm. It also gives the diminished Bdim (B D F) on the 7th degree. Most minor-key classical harmony borrows these chords, even when the melody stays in natural minor.
Chords that change from natural minor
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from C | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 1 | root | 0 |
| D | 2 | major 2nd | 2 |
| Eb | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| F | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| G | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| Ab | b6 | minor 6th | 8 |
| B | 7 | major 7th | 11 |
Step pattern
The harmonic minor scale is built from the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same scale in a different key.
Key signature
C minor has 3 flats: Bb, Eb and Ab, and harmonic minor uses the same key signature with one accidental, on the raised 7th: B. See the key of C minor for the rest of its chords.
Chords in C harmonic minor
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these triads.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Cm | C Eb G |
| 2 | ii° | Ddim | D F Ab |
| 3 | III+ | Ebaug | Eb G B |
| 4 | iv | Fm | F Ab C |
| 5 | V | G | G B D |
| 6 | VI | Ab | Ab C Eb |
| 7 | vii° | Bdim | B D F |
More scales on C
Harmonic Minor scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the C harmonic minor scale?
The C harmonic minor scale contains C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B, then returns to C an octave higher.
What is the difference between C harmonic minor and C natural minor?
Only the 7th note. C natural minor has Bb; C harmonic minor raises it to B, a half step below the tonic.
What key signature does C harmonic minor use?
The key signature of C minor: 3 flats: Bb, Eb and Ab. The raised 7th, B, is written as an accidental.
What is the fingering for the C harmonic minor scale on piano?
Going up from C to C, the right hand plays 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 and the left hand plays 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
What is the step pattern of the harmonic minor scale?
It follows the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H, where W is a whole step (two semitones), H is a half step (one semitone) and W+H is three semitones.