C# Minor Pentatonic Scale on Piano

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

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

Interval Circle

W+HWWW+HWCC#1DD#Eb3FF#4GG#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 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)

2-1-2-3-1-2

Left Hand (ascending)

2-1-3-2-1-2

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# Minor Pentatonic

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
C#C#4Root (1)22
EE4Minor 3rd (b3)11
F#F#4Perfect 4th (4)23
G#G#4Perfect 5th (5)32
BB4Minor 7th (b7)11
C#C#5Octave (8)22

Other Minor Pentatonic Scales

C Minor Pentatonic
C – Eb – F – G – Bb
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# 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# Blues
C# – E – F# – G – G# – B
C# Dorian
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B