C Harmonic Minor Scale on Piano

The C Harmonic Minor scale sounds tense and dramatic. It runs C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B and is written with two flats.

It shares its key signature with Eb major, its relative major.

Interval Circle

WHWWHW+HHC1DbD2Ebb3EF4GbG5Abb6ABbB7

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

Natural minor with the 7th raised back up, restoring the leading tone so dominant harmony works in a minor key. The augmented second it opens between the 6th and 7th degrees is the interval that gives the scale its distinctive edge.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Left Hand (ascending)

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Why this fingering

2 black keys (Eb, Ab) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto F; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in C Harmonic Minor

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
CC4Root (1)15
DD4Major 2nd (2)24
EbEb4Minor 3rd (b3)33
FF4Perfect 4th (4)12
GG4Perfect 5th (5)21
AbAb4Minor 6th (b6)33
BB4Major 7th (7)42
CC5Octave (8)51

Other Harmonic Minor Scales

C# Harmonic Minor
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B#
D Harmonic Minor
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C#
Eb Harmonic Minor
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – D
E Harmonic Minor
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D#
F Harmonic Minor
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E
F# Harmonic Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E#
G Harmonic Minor
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F#
G# Harmonic Minor
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E – F##
A Harmonic Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F – G#
Bb Harmonic Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A
B Harmonic Minor
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A#

Other C Scales

C Major
C – D – E – F – G – A – B
C Natural Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb
C Melodic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – B
C Major Pentatonic
C – D – E – G – A
C Minor Pentatonic
C – Eb – F – G – Bb
C Blues
C – Eb – F – Gb – G – Bb
C Dorian
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – Bb
C Mixolydian
C – D – E – F – G – A – Bb
C Chromatic
C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B