C harmonic minor scale

The notes

C minor has three flats, B♭, E♭ and A♭, the key signature of E♭ major, its relative major. It was Beethoven’s key for stormy music.

Key signature

C minor has three flats (B♭, E♭ and A♭) in its key signature, the same as E♭ major, its relative major. The harmonic minor adds one accidental, the raised seventh, B, which is written in each time it comes.

What makes it harmonic minor

The harmonic minor is the natural minor with its seventh raised a half step, B♭ to B, written as an accidental (the key signature stays E♭ major’s). The raised seventh is a leading note: a half step below the tonic, it pulls up to C, and it gives the key its major chord on the fifth note.

That leaves a step and a half between the sixth and seventh notes, A♭ to B (an augmented second), the gap that gives the harmonic minor its sound. Watch it under the fingers: 3–4 in the right hand and 3–2 in the left hand going up.

Fingering

Right hand: 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up. Going up, the thumb passes under the third finger from E♭ to F. The fourth finger plays B: once per octave, a good landmark for where the hand is. Over two octaves, the C in the middle takes the thumb instead of the fifth finger, and the pattern starts again.

Left hand: 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 going up. Going up, the third finger crosses over the thumb from G to A♭. The fourth finger plays D: once per octave, a good landmark for where the hand is. Over two octaves, the left hand starts on the fifth finger only once, at the bottom; the C in the middle takes the thumb.

Fingered like C major in both hands, so the thumbs land on F and C in the right hand and on G and C in the left, with E♭ and A♭ under the third fingers.

Chords in C minor

The triads built on each note of the harmonic minor. Its raised seventh makes the chord on the fifth note major, the V that leads home in most minor-key music.

• i C minor
• ii° D diminished
• III+ E♭ augmented
• iv F minor
• V G major
• VI A♭ major
• vii° B diminished

Music in C minor

• Beethoven’s “Pathétique” Sonata, Op. 13
• Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5
• Chopin’s “Revolutionary” Étude, Op. 10 No. 12
• Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2

How to practise it

• Hands separately first, slowly, saying the finger numbers. Fingering learned slowly stays; fingering found at speed changes every time.
• Practise the thumb crossings alone: play just the notes either side of each crossing, back and forth, until the thumb is in place before it’s needed.
• Then hands together, one octave, then two. The hands cross their thumbs at different places, which is what makes scales hands together hard at first.
• Use “Play along” above: it waits for each note, so you can check every note and finger at your own pace. Then Listen at ♩ = 72 and play with it.

Quick answers

What are the notes of the C harmonic minor scale?

C D E♭ F G A♭ B C.

What is the fingering for the C harmonic minor scale?

Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5, left hand 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1, going up one octave from C (1 is the thumb). Coming down, the same fingers in reverse.

What key signature does C minor have?

Three flats (B♭, E♭ and A♭), the same as its relative major, E♭ major.