C Major Scale

The C major scale (also called C Ionian) contains C – D – E – F – G – A – B. Its key signature has no sharps or flats.

Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.

C major scale fingering

Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to F. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to A. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.

Key signature

C major has no sharps or flats. Its relative minor is A minor, which uses the same notes and key signature. See the chords in the key of C major and of A minor.

Scale degrees

Step pattern

The Major scale is built from the pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same mode in a different key.

Chords in C Major

Building a triad on each degree of the scale gives you the chords that belong to it. These are the chords to reach for when writing in C Major.

Other modes on C

More scales on C

Major scale in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C Major scale?

The C Major scale contains C, D, E, F, G, A, B, then returns to C an octave higher.

What is the fingering for the C major 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.

How many sharps or flats are in C major?

C major has no sharps or flats.

What is the step pattern of the Major scale?

The Major scale follows the whole/half step pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H, where W is a whole step (two semitones) and H is a half step (one semitone).

Which chords work with the C Major scale?

The diatonic chords are C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim. Each is built only from notes of the C Major scale, so they all belong to the same tonality — though the diminished chord carries a tritone and normally wants to resolve.