Find the notes of C minor, compare its three forms and descending patterns, and read source-checked piano fingerings.
C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C
Direction: Ascending · C4 → C5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2
| Notes | C4 | D4 | E♭4 | F4 | G4 | A♭4 | B♭4 | C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fingers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
One-octave fingering.
Finger numbers identify fingers, not scale degrees. Only one-octave, separately checked rows are shown.
Select every note used in C Natural minor, ascending. This question checks the note set; octave and order do not matter.
Chosen: None
Attempt open · unassisted
C - D - E♭ - F - G - A♭ - B♭. Octave and order are not scored in this question.
C4 - D4 - E♭4 - F4 - G4 - A♭4 - B♭4 - C5
This guide does not listen to your piano. Completion is self-reported. The staff is a pitch reference; the pulse controls timing.
Practice tempo: 60 BPM · 1 octave · Right hand · C4-C5 · 4-beat count-in
This guide does not listen to your piano. Completion is self-reported.
PianoGrid
Key signature: Bb, Eb, Ab
C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C
Direction: Ascending · C4 → C5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2
| Notes | C4 | D4 | E♭4 | F4 | G4 | A♭4 | B♭4 | C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fingers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
One-octave fingering.
One-octave reference. Finger numbers appear only for the hand and direction combinations covered by the sources listed above.
C natural minor uses C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, and Bb. Its signature contains Bb, Eb, and Ab, shared with Eb major. Keep Eb as the third degree in every minor form on this page. Changing the upper part of the scale does not turn that Eb into E.
The harmonic version replaces Bb with B natural and retains Ab. Ascending classical melodic minor uses A natural and B natural; descending it returns to Bb and Ab. Compare the spelling as well as the sound. The B in harmonic minor is a raised seventh degree, not an extra note added between Bb and C.
First play C-D-Eb-F-G, then stop. Continue with Ab-Bb-C for natural minor, Ab-B-C for harmonic minor, or A-B-C for melodic ascent. Return to the upper C before testing each descent. For a written check, label the sixth and seventh degrees in all three versions and circle only the notes that change.
The one-octave ascent rows below are kept separate from the additional two-octave natural-minor demonstration. Use one complete row for its stated range. A continuous two-octave run passes through the middle C and ends only at the top C, so its middle and ending finger choices are not interchangeable.
Each degree of C natural minor has a name, and stacking every other note from that degree gives the triad built on it. Roman numerals use capitals for major triads, lower case for minor and ° for diminished.
E♭ major is the relative major of C minor. Both keys use the same notes and key signature, but the major key starts on degree 3.
C natural minor uses three black keys: E♭, A♭ and B♭.
On a narrow screen, scroll this table horizontally to read every column.
| Degree | Note | Degree name | Triad | Triad notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Tonic | i · C minor | C – E♭ – G |
| 2 | D | Supertonic | ii° · D diminished | D – F – A♭ |
| 3 | E♭ | Mediant | III · E♭ major | E♭ – G – B♭ |
| 4 | F | Subdominant | iv · F minor | F – A♭ – C |
| 5 | G | Dominant | v · G minor | G – B♭ – D |
| 6 | A♭ | Submediant | VI · A♭ major | A♭ – C – E♭ |
| 7 | B♭ | Subtonic | VII · B♭ major | B♭ – D – F |
In natural minor, the chord on degree 5 is minor. Harmonic minor raises degree 7 from B♭ to B, the leading tone. That makes the dominant chord major and gives V7, the dominant seventh of C minor. G7: G – B – D – F.
C natural minor contains C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb. One octave is C–D–Eb–F–G–Ab–Bb–C. The final tonic repeats the starting note an octave higher.
Harmonic minor changes degree 7 from Bb to B: C–D–Eb–F–G–Ab–B–C. In the classical melodic-minor ascent, degree 6 changes from Ab to A and degree 7 is B: C–D–Eb–F–G–A–B–C.
For the classical scale-exercise convention, descend C–Bb–Ab–G–F–Eb–D–C. In the displayed right-hand register that is C5–Bb4–Ab4–G4–F4–Eb4–D4–C4. Degrees 6 and 7 return to their natural-minor values, Ab and Bb. Do not simply reverse the raised ascending form; the jazz melodic-minor convention is a different choice.
Natural minor: right hand ascending 1–2–3–1–2–3–4–5; left hand ascending 5–4–3–2–1–3–2–1. Notes-only combinations: right hand descending, left hand descending. Harmonic minor: right hand ascending 1–2–3–1–2–3–4–5; left hand ascending 5–4–3–2–1–3–2–1. Notes-only combinations: right hand descending, left hand descending. Melodic minor (classical exercise): notes only; no fingering row is source-checked. All supported finger rows here cover one octave with hands separately. A missing row is not permission to reverse or borrow another form’s fingering.
First match the tonic, minor form, hand or view, direction and one-octave range. Then read the ordered note names with their octave numbers and compare each to the staff and highlighted key. The printout should state the same selection; a fixed PDF has its own named coverage. Keep written accidentals even when they share a physical key with another spelling.
References for the notes, patterns and examples on this page.
A# melodic exact spelling including F##/G## classical descent keyboard equivalence B#/C E#/F F##/G G##/A C4=MIDI60 shown as middle C
Note spellings for natural, harmonic and melodic minor in A, E, C, D, B, F, G and F♯ direction conventions
C natural minor two-octave LH/RH ascending and descending fingering from explicit transcript
Points to a two-octave fingering guide. Fingerings on this page are not taken from that guide
key-specific natural harmonic melodic note lists classical melodic descent key signature and relative major
interval rules minor forms and classical directions relative versus parallel keys
harmonic minor note lists and one-octave LH/RH ascent rows correct theoretical enharmonic spellings in overview
classical melodic versus jazz convention ascending pitch collections for 8 named keys
natural minor note lists and one-octave LH/RH ascent rows strict spelling in overview relative keys