C Natural Minor Scale

The C Natural Minor Scale has a minor quality due to its minor Third E. The Natural Minor Scale, like C Natural Minor, is a very common scale in Western music and produces a generally sad sound. C Natural Minor Scale is classified as a heptatonic scale as it has seven notes, C, D, E, F, G, A, B. The C Natural Minor Scale is also known as a diatonic scale which conforms to specific rules. The C Natural Minor Scale was originally formed from the identical C Aeolian Mode.

Below you will find the C Natural Minor Scale notes, notation, patterns, degrees, intervals and more. You can also opt to see the C Natural Minor 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, S, T, T, S, T, T

S = Semitone, T = Tone (2 Semitones)

Pattern Descending

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

S = Semitone, T = Tone (2 Semitones)

Degrees Ascending

NoteNumberName
C1Tonic
D2Supertonic
E3Mediant
F4Subdominant
G5Dominant
A6Submediant
B7Subtonic
C8Tonic (Octave)

Degrees Descending

NoteNumberName
C8Tonic (Octave)
B7Subtonic
A6Submediant
G5Dominant
F4Subdominant
E3Mediant
D2Supertonic
C1Tonic

Intervals Ascending

NotesSemitonesInterval
C > C0Perfect Unison (P1)
C > D2Major 2nd (M2)
C > E3minor 3rd (m3)
C > F5Perfect 4th (P4)
C > G7Perfect 5th (P5)
C > A8minor 6th (m6)
C > B10minor 7th (m7)
C > C12Perfect Octave (P8)

Intervals Descending

NotesSemitonesInterval
C > C0Perfect Unison (P1)
C > B2Major 2nd (M2)
C > A4Major 3rd (M3)
C > G5Perfect 4th (P4)
C > F7Perfect 5th (P5)
C > E9Major 6th (M6)
C > D10minor 7th (m7)
C > C12Perfect Octave (P8)

Scales related to C Natural Minor Scale

Enharmonic Equivalent Scale

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

B♯ Natural Minor Scale

Relative Major Scale

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

E Major Scale

Parallel Major Scale

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

C Major Scale

Chords related to C Natural Minor Scale

Related Triads

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

i Chord - C Minor

iio Chord - D Diminished

III Chord - E Major

iv Chord - F Minor

v Chord - G Minor

VI Chord - A Major

VII Chord - B Major

Learn to Play C Natural Minor Scale

Instrument View

See C Natural Minor 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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