C♯ Minor: Notes, Chords and Scale
C♯ minor is a minor key. Its key signature has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯. Its scale is C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, and its seven diatonic chords are C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B. Below are the 7th chords, Roman numerals, related keys, the Camelot code and a keyboard diagram.
Key signature
4♯
Relative key
Parallel key
Camelot code
12A
Notes
C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B
Chords in C♯ minor
- iC♯mC♯ E G♯
- ii°D♯dimD♯ F♯ A
- IIIEE G♯ B
- ivF♯mF♯ A C♯
- vG♯mG♯ B D♯
- VIAA C♯ E
- VIIBB D♯ F♯
Seventh chords
- i7C♯m7C♯ E G♯ B
- iiø7D♯m7♭5D♯ F♯ A C♯
- IIImaj7Emaj7E G♯ B D♯
- iv7F♯m7F♯ A C♯ E
- v7G♯m7G♯ B D♯ F♯
- VImaj7Amaj7A C♯ E G♯
- VII7B7B D♯ F♯ A
How to use these chords
- i, iv and v (C♯m, F♯m, G♯m) are the primary chords. The v chord is often played major, as V (G♯) or V7 (G♯7), taken from the harmonic minor scale, which raises B to B♯.
- III, VI and VII (E, A, B) are major chords. They are the I, IV and V chords of the relative major, E major.
- ii° (D♯dim) is a diminished chord and often leads to V.
- Common progressions, in Roman numerals: i VI III VII (C♯m, A, E, B); i iv V (C♯m, F♯m, G♯); i VII VI V (C♯m, B, A, G♯).
Common uses of C♯ minor
- C♯ minor shares its seven notes and its key signature with its relative major, E major.
- On a piano, 4 of its seven notes are black keys.
- In the Camelot system DJs use for harmonic mixing, C♯ minor is 12A; tracks in 11A, 1A and 12B usually mix smoothly with it.
- Open C♯ minor in the Scale and Chord Finder
- Find your song's key from the audio: Detect Key and BPM
- Camelot Wheel: 12A
- Write chords or MIDI in C♯ minor with MIDI LabMIDI Lab, from the same team as SongTools, writes chord progressions, bass, drums and melody as MIDI from a prompt.
- E major: notes and chords
- All 24 major and minor keys
Questions about C♯ minor
What chords are in C♯ minor?
The seven chords in C♯ minor are C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B (i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, VII). As seventh chords they are C♯m7, D♯m7♭5, Emaj7, F♯m7, G♯m7, Amaj7, B7.
What notes are in the C♯ minor scale?
C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B. Its key signature has 4 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯.
What is the relative major of C♯ minor?
E major. It uses the same seven notes and key signature as C♯ minor, starting from E. The parallel major, D♭ major, starts on the same note as C♯ minor but has a different key signature.
What is the Camelot code for C♯ minor?
12A. Next to it on the Camelot wheel are 11A and 1A, and 12B is its relative major, E major.