C# Minor
Chords in the key of
The scale’s notes are numbered from 1 to 7. Roman numerals are used to label the basic triad (1-3-5) chords built on each of those notes.
The notes of the C# natural minor scale are:
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B
| i | ii° | III | iv | v | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C#m | D#dim | E | F#m | G#m | A | B |
| C sharp minor | D sharp diminished | E major | F sharp minor | G sharp minor | A major | B major |
| C# - E - G# | D# - F# - A | E - G# - B | F# - A - C# | G# - B - D# | A - C# - E | B - D# - F# |
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That’s the diatonic set. If you stay strictly inside the key, these are your friends. The pattern of naming chords for every minor key is:
Minor, Diminished, Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major. Numerals in UPPERCASE (III, VI, VII) denote major chords, and numerals in lowercase (i, ii°, iv, v) denote minor chords.
C# Minor: Extended Chords
C# HARMONIC Minor: RESOLVING + cinematic
C# natural/diatonic minor often borrows the 7th note from C# harmonic minor; it’s just one semitone higher but creates and resolves tension far better than its diatonic counterpart.
This raises C# minor’s B to B#*, which affects C# minor’s III, v, & VII chords:
* When a minor key borrows from its harmonic minor, the borrowed notes are written as raised versions of the minor scale’s notes. This allows chords to keep their correct letter names, instead of replacing them with different letters that represent the same pitch.
| III+ | V | vii° |
|---|---|---|
| Eaug | G# | B#dim |
| E augmented | G# major | B# diminished |
| E - G# - B# | G# - B# - D# | B# - D# - F# |
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