C# Blues Scale on Piano

The C# Blues scale sounds gritty and vocal. It runs C# – E – F# – G – G# – B and is written with three sharps.

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

Interval Circle

W+HWHHW+HWCC#1DD#Eb3FF#4Gb5G#5AA#Bb7

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 minor pentatonic with a chromatic passing note squeezed between the 4th and the 5th. That blue note is a decoration, not a destination — it works best slid through on the way somewhere else.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

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

Left Hand (ascending)

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

Why this fingering

3 black keys (C#, F#, G#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto E and B; 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# Blues

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
C#C#4Root (1)22
EE4Minor 3rd (b3)11
F#F#4Perfect 4th (4)24
GG4Tritone (b5)33
G#G#4Perfect 5th (5)42
BB4Minor 7th (b7)11
C#C#5Octave (8)22

Other Blues Scales

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

Other C# Scales

C# Natural Minor
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B
C# Harmonic Minor
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B#
C# Melodic Minor
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B#
C# Minor Pentatonic
C# – E – F# – G# – B
C# Dorian
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B