Minor
C Harmonic Minor Scale on Piano
C harmonic minor keeps the three flats of C minor but raises the seventh from Bb back up to B natural. The result is the dramatic augmented-second sound between Ab and B — a staple of classical minor-key harmony and film score tension.
Notes of the C Harmonic Minor Scale
| Degree | Note | Interval from root |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Root |
| 2 | D | Major 2nd |
| 3 | Eb | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | F | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | G | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | Ab | Minor 6th |
| 7 | B | Major 7th |
| 8 | C | Octave |
W-H-W-W-H-W½-HW · H · W · W · H · W½ · HC natural minor with the 7th raised from Bb to B, producing the augmented second from Ab to B.
C Harmonic Minor on the Staff
One octave ascending in treble clef with the key signature of C minor (3 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab).
Fingering
Same fingering as C natural minor. The Eb, Ab, and B sit naturally under fingers 3, 2, and 4 ascending in the right hand.
- 1C
- 2D
- 3Eb
- 1F
- 2G
- 3Ab
- 4B
- 5C
- 5C
- 4D
- 3Eb
- 2F
- 1G
- 3Ab
- 2B
- 1C
Numbers indicate fingers: 1 = thumb, 2 = index, 3 = middle, 4 = ring, 5 = little. Both rows are shown in ascending order (low note to high note). Note the left hand starts on the pinky (5) at the lowest note and crosses the middle finger over the thumb to continue upward — that is why the left-hand numbers count down before cycling again.
Diatonic Chords in C Harmonic Minor
The seven triads built on each scale degree — the harmonic backbone of any piece written in this key.
Where You Hear This Scale
Mozart, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff all wrote powerful C minor passages, and when they needed the scale to drive hard toward the tonic they raised the 7th — exactly this scale. It is also the basis for many flamenco and Middle-Eastern-flavored melodies. Practice it with a metronome; the augmented second is where most players stumble.
Train Your Ear to Recognize This Scale
Put what you learned into practice with Fortepian's free scale identification exercise. Hear a scale and identify it — 9 progressive levels, from major and minor to modes, pentatonic, blues, and exotic scales. No signup needed.
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