C Major Scale

The C Major Scale has a Major quality due to its Major Third E. The Major Scale, like C Major, is the most important and commonly found scale in Western music and produces a generally happy sound. C Major Scale is classified as a heptatonic scale as it has seven notes, C, D, E, F, G, A, B. The C Major Scale is also known as a diatonic scale which conforms to specific rules. The C Major Scale was originally formed from the identical C Ionian Mode.

Below you will find the C Major Scale notes, notation, patterns, degrees, intervals and more. You can also opt to see the C Major Scale on your preferred instrument.

Notes Ascending

C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Notes Descending

C, B, A, G, F, E, D, C

Notation Ascending

Notation Descending

Pattern Ascending

T, T, S, T, T, T, S

S = Semitone, T = Tone (2 Semitones)

Pattern Descending

S, T, T, T, S, T, T

S = Semitone, T = Tone (2 Semitones)

Degrees Ascending

NoteNumberName
C1Tonic
D2Supertonic
E3Mediant
F4Subdominant
G5Dominant
A6Submediant
B7Leading Tone
C8Tonic (Octave)

Degrees Descending

NoteNumberName
C8Tonic (Octave)
B7Leading Tone
A6Submediant
G5Dominant
F4Subdominant
E3Mediant
D2Supertonic
C1Tonic

Intervals Ascending

NotesSemitonesInterval
C > C0Perfect Unison (P1)
C > D2Major 2nd (M2)
C > E4Major 3rd (M3)
C > F5Perfect 4th (P4)
C > G7Perfect 5th (P5)
C > A9Major 6th (M6)
C > B11Major 7th (M7)
C > C12Perfect Octave (P8)

Intervals Descending

NotesSemitonesInterval
C > C0Perfect Unison (P1)
C > B1minor 2nd (m2)
C > A3minor 3rd (m3)
C > G5Perfect 4th (P4)
C > F7Perfect 5th (P5)
C > E8minor 6th (m6)
C > D10minor 7th (m7)
C > C12Perfect Octave (P8)

Scales related to C Major Scale

Enharmonic Equivalent Scale

Scale with the same root and notes as the C Major Scale but different spelling.

B Major Scale

Relative Minor Scale

Minor scale with the same notes as C Major Scale but in a different order.

A Natural Minor Scale

Parallel Minor Scale

Minor scale with the same root note as C Major Scale.

C Natural Minor Scale

Chords related to C Major Scale

Related Triads

These chords have been built using the notes of the C Major Scale. The chords are in degree order and shown in Roman numerals (lowercase = minor/diminished, uppercase = Major/Augmented).

I Chord - C Major

ii Chord - D Minor

iii Chord - E Minor

IV Chord - F Major

V Chord - G Major

vi Chord - A Minor

viio Chord - B Diminished

Learn to Play C Major Scale

Instrument View

See C Major Scale on

If you want to learn what scales and modes are and much more, check out our free Fundamentals of Music Theory course. If you already know some of the basics, you can jump straight into the scales lesson.

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