Scale · Natural Minor

C Natural Minor Scale

The C natural minor scale is the relative minor sound built on C — darker, more reflective than major, the foundation of countless rock, pop, and folk songs.

C Natural Minor
CDD♯FGG♯A♯
▶ Open in scale explorer

Notes in C Natural Minor

The C Natural Minor scale contains C — D — D♯ — F — G — G♯ — A♯. The interval pattern is the universal natural minor pattern, transposed to start on C.

How to use it

Open the interactive scale explorer above to see C Natural Minor on a piano keyboard, on a guitar fretboard, and to hear it played ascending or descending. The diatonic chord chips show the chords built from this scale.

Common uses

The C natural minor scale is the relative minor sound built on C — darker, more reflective than major, the foundation of countless rock, pop, and folk songs.

FAQs

What chords go with the C Natural Minor scale?

Open the scale explorer to see the seven diatonic chords built from this scale. Each chord chip plays back so you can hear the harmony.

How is C Natural Minor different from other scales on C?

The intervals between notes are different. C Natural Minor uses the natural minor interval pattern; switch to a different scale type in the explorer to hear how the same root sounds with major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and other patterns.

What's the relative key of C Natural Minor?

For major and minor scales, the relative is found three semitones away. C major and A minor share the same notes; C minor and D# major share the same notes.

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