C Minor Pentatonic Scale on Piano

The C Minor Pentatonic scale sounds raw and vocal. It runs C – Eb – F – G – Bb and is written with two flats.

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

Interval Circle

W+HWWW+HWC1DbDEbb3EF4GbG5AbABbb7B

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

The same five-note shape rotated to start on its relative minor. It is the backbone of blues, rock and soul improvisation — five notes that stay usable over an entire minor or dominant progression.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3

Left Hand (ascending)

4-3-2-1-2-1

Why this fingering

2 black keys (Eb, Bb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto G; 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 Minor Pentatonic

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
CC4Root (1)14
EbEb4Minor 3rd (b3)23
FF4Perfect 4th (4)32
GG4Perfect 5th (5)11
BbBb4Minor 7th (b7)22
CC5Octave (8)31

Other Minor Pentatonic Scales

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

Other C Scales

C Major
C – D – E – F – G – A – B
C Natural Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb
C Harmonic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B
C Melodic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – B
C Major Pentatonic
C – D – E – G – A
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