Scale · Piano
C Natural Minor Scale · Piano
Interactive keyboard
Highlighted notes form this scale.
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Useful tools for this scale
These optional accessories can help you practise, visualize notes and apply this musical pattern on your instrument.
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Notes
C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭
Root: C
Intervals
1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7
How it is built
This scale starts on C and applies the intervals 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7. The result contains 7 distinct pitch classes per octave.
Explore related combinations
Guide and musical context
About C Natural Minor Piano Scale
C Natural Minor Piano scale uses the notes C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭. Its character is dark and stable, with a minor seventh.
Character and sound
Dark and stable, with a minor seventh.
Musical context and history
Natural minor contains the same notes as the modern Aeolian mode. It is the basic diatonic form of a minor key before degrees are raised for harmonic or melodic reasons.
How and where it is used
It is used in minor melodies and progressions across rock, pop, folk, metal and screen music.
On piano, the notes can be distributed between both hands and across different octaves. The interactive keyboard makes it easy to verify pitches and experiment with inversions or registers without changing the harmony. Everything you see and hear on this page comes from the same note set shown above.
Harmonic and musical relationships
Natural minor and Aeolian have the same formula. The relative major lies a minor third above, at E♭.
The formula on this page is 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7 and, from C, produces the notes C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the C Natural Minor Piano scale?
The notes are C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭.
What is its interval formula?
The formula is 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7.
How does it sound and what is it used for?
Dark and stable, with a minor seventh. It is used in minor melodies and progressions across rock, pop, folk, metal and screen music.
How can I check it on Piano?
Use the interactive diagram on this page and press Play or Note by note. The highlighted positions, written notes and playback all use the same pitch collection.