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C♯ minor

C♯ minor has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯). Its scale is C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B, its chords are C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m, A and B, and its relative major is E major.

Make a beat in C♯ minorWrite a melody in this key

Opens the free editor with a trap beat on C♯m A E B. No account needed to start.

The C♯ minor scale

Whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole: the half steps come between D♯ and E, and between G♯ and A.

C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B C♯

EABC♯D♯F♯G♯C♯

On the piano, C♯ minor uses 4 black keys (C♯, D♯, F♯ and G♯) and 3 white keys (E, A and B).

The notes of C♯ minor by scale degree
DegreeNoteName
1C♯Tonic
2D♯Supertonic
3EMediant
4F♯Subdominant
5G♯Dominant
6ASubmediant
7BSubtonic

The raised seventh

Many songs in C♯ minor raise B to B♯. That makes the harmonic minor scale, C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B♯, and turns the fifth chord from G♯m into G♯ major, which pulls hard back to C♯m. The editor’s minor progressions play the fifth chord that way.

Chords in C♯ minor

One chord on each note of the scale, built from the scale’s own notes. The Roman numeral says which note it starts on: capitals are major, small letters minor.

iC♯m
ii°D♯dim
IIIE
ivF♯m
vG♯m
VIA
VIIB

Which chords sound happy or sad

Dark

C♯m F♯m G♯m

i, iv, v. The minor chords. C♯m is home, and the key’s sad colour.

Lifting

E A B

III, VI, VII. The major chords, which bring light into a minor song.

Tense

D♯dim

ii°. Diminished: tense and unstable, so most minor songs use it only in passing.

A progression in C♯ minor

The epic minor · i–VI–III–VII
C♯m
A
E
B
Hear it as

More progressions in C♯ minor

Key signature and related keys

Key signature

4 sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯

Written at the start of every line of music, so each F, C, G and D is played sharp. Sharps join in the order F C G D A E B, and flats in the order B E A D G C F.

Relative major

E major

The same seven notes and key signature, starting on E.

Parallel major

D♭ major

The same home note (D♭ is C♯ written another way), with 5 flats. Borrowing a chord from it makes a part sound brighter.

Next to it on the circle of fifths

Keys next to each other share six of their seven notes. See them all on the circle of fifths.

C♯ minor in beats

The editor’s starter beats for these styles are written in C♯ minor. Each opens the free editor with its own drums, bass and chords at its usual tempo, no account needed.

Chicago drill · 140 BPMDrift phonk · 115 BPMGrime · 140 BPMMemphis rap · 136 BPMRage · 155 BPM

Questions about C♯ minor

How many sharps are in C♯ minor?

Four: F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯. Those notes are played sharp every time, so the key signature has 4 sharps, and E major, its relative major, has the same.

What is the relative major of C♯ minor?

E major. It uses the same seven notes and the same key signature as C♯ minor, but starts on E, the third note of the scale. The two share every chord, which is why songs move between them so easily.

What chords are in C♯ minor?

C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m, A and B: one built on each note of the scale (i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, VII). Many songs play the fifth chord as G♯ major instead of G♯m: its B♯ pulls hard back to C♯m.

What is a common chord progression in C♯ minor?

i–VI–III–VII: C♯m, A, E and B. It is the minor key’s best-known loop, heard in anthems, EDM and film, and it is the one the beat on this page plays.

Every key

Major keys
C majorG majorD majorA majorE majorB majorF♯ majorD♭ majorA♭ majorE♭ majorB♭ majorF major
Minor keys
A minorE minorB minorF♯ minorC♯ minorG♯ minorD♯ minorB♭ minorF minorC minorG minorD minor

Build a song in C♯ minor

Start with the beat, then add chords, a melody and your voice in the editor, part by part.

Make a beat in C♯ minorAll music keys

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