C♯ Minor Scale on Guitar: Notes, Shapes and Positions

The C♯ natural minor scale is C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. Start with the root on the low E string at the 9th fret, then learn the five positions below, from the Cm shape at the 1st fret up the neck.

Keys

C♯ Minor Scale: 5 Positions

1Cm shape
4Am shape
6Gm shape
9Em shape
11Dm shape

CAGED Chords — C♯m

1C shape
4A shape
6G shape
9E shape
11D shape

Triads — C♯m

Root position

1C shape
4A shape
6G shape
9E shape

Notes and formula

Degree12♭345♭6♭7
NoteC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB

C♯ minor has 4 sharps (C♯, D♯, F♯ and G♯).

It's the same pitch as D♭: D♭ minor would need double flats. This page uses C♯ because it needs fewer accidentals, so every note is spelled with one letter each (C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B).

The C♯ minor scale across the whole neck

Every C♯ minor scale note from the nut to the 15th fret: E on the low E string, fret 0; F sharp on the low E string, fret 2; G sharp on the low E string, fret 4; A on the low E string, fret 5; B on the low E string, fret 7; C sharp (root) on the low E string, fret 9; D sharp on the low E string, fret 11; E on the low E string, fret 12; F sharp on the low E string, fret 14; A on the A string, fret 0; B on the A string, fret 2; C sharp (root) on the A string, fret 4; D sharp on the A string, fret 6; E on the A string, fret 7; F sharp on the A string, fret 9; G sharp on the A string, fret 11; A on the A string, fret 12; B on the A string, fret 14; D sharp on the D string, fret 1; E on the D string, fret 2; F sharp on the D string, fret 4; G sharp on the D string, fret 6; A on the D string, fret 7; B on the D string, fret 9; C sharp (root) on the D string, fret 11; D sharp on the D string, fret 13; E on the D string, fret 14; G sharp on the G string, fret 1; A on the G string, fret 2; B on the G string, fret 4; C sharp (root) on the G string, fret 6; D sharp on the G string, fret 8; E on the G string, fret 9; F sharp on the G string, fret 11; G sharp on the G string, fret 13; A on the G string, fret 14; B on the B string, fret 0; C sharp (root) on the B string, fret 2; D sharp on the B string, fret 4; E on the B string, fret 5; F sharp on the B string, fret 7; G sharp on the B string, fret 9; A on the B string, fret 10; B on the B string, fret 12; C sharp (root) on the B string, fret 14; E on the high e string, fret 0; F sharp on the high e string, fret 2; G sharp on the high e string, fret 4; A on the high e string, fret 5; B on the high e string, fret 7; C sharp (root) on the high e string, fret 9; D sharp on the high e string, fret 11; E on the high e string, fret 12; F sharp on the high e string, fret 14.

C♯ Minor scale, frets 0–15. Roots (C♯) in green.

The root, C♯, sits on the low E string at fret 9 and on the A string at fret 4. Those are the anchors every position is built around.

Four of the six open strings belong to C♯ minor (E, A, B and high e), so they can ring against fretted notes; the others will clash.

Position by position: Cm shape from the 1st fret; Am shape from the 4th fret; Gm shape from the 6th fret; Em shape from the 9th fret; Dm shape from the 11th fret.

Chords in C♯ minor

The chords of C♯ minor are i C♯m, ii° D♯°, III E, iv F♯m, v G♯m, VI A and VII B.

Common minor progressions here are i–iv–v (C♯m, F♯m, G♯m) and i–VI–III–VII (C♯m, A, E, B). Songs in C♯ minor often swap G♯m for a major V chord, which comes from the harmonic minor.

Its relative major is E major, with the same notes centred on the third.

The nearest keys are a fifth away: G♯ minor differs by one note: A♯ instead of A; F♯ minor differs by one note: D instead of D♯.

To learn it, play the Cm shape from the 1st fret slowly, saying each note name, then link it to the next position up. Land on C♯ at the end of each run, and you'll hear the scale settle on its root.

C♯ Minor scale FAQs

Which notes make up the C♯ natural minor scale?

C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A and B. The formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

What is the relative major of C♯ minor?

E major. It has the same notes as C♯ natural minor, starting from the third, E.

Where do I play the C♯ natural minor scale on guitar?

Start from the root on the low E string at the 9th fret. The Cm shape from the 1st fret is the lowest of the five positions, and the other four continue up the neck to the 12th fret and beyond.

Learn more

The natural minor scale on guitar explains how the scale is built and how to use it, and the guitar scale lessons set out what to learn next. The scale library has every scale in every key.