C harmonic minor scale on piano
C harmonic minor: natural minor with a raised seventh, which gives the minor key its leading note and an exotic step and a half.
| Notes | C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B – C |
|---|---|
| Steps | W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step) |
How to play the C harmonic minor scale
Keep the thumb on white keys and pass it under after the longest group of fingers you can use; never put the thumb on a black key. Practise slowly, hands separately first. Start slowly with the metronome and keep every note even.
Chords in C harmonic minor
Build a chord on every note of the scale using only notes from the scale:
| Step | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | C minor | – |
| ii° | D diminished | Dm7♭5 |
| III+ | E♭ augmented | – |
| iv | F minor | Fm7 |
| V | G major | G7 |
| VI | A♭ major | A♭maj7 |
| vii° | B diminished | Bdim7 |
Other C scales
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