C-sharp minor

C-sharp minor
{ \magnifyStaff #3/2 \omit Score.TimeSignature \key cis \minor s16 \clef F \key cis \minor s^"" }
Relative keyE major
Parallel keyC-sharp major
Dominant keyG-sharp minor
SubdominantF-sharp minor
Component pitches
C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B

C-sharp minor is a minor scale based on C♯, with the pitches C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, and B. Its key signature consists of four sharps.

The C-sharp natural minor scale is:

{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c' { \key cis \minor \time 7/4 cis^"Natural minor scale" dis e fis gis a b cis b a gis fis e dis cis2 \clef F \key cis \minor } }

Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary. The C-sharp harmonic minor and melodic minor scales are:

{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c' { \key cis \minor \time 7/4 cis^"Harmonic minor scale" dis e fis gis a bis cis bis a gis fis e dis cis2 } }
{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c' { \key cis \minor \time 7/4 cis^"Melodic minor scale (ascending and descending)" dis e fis gis ais bis cis b? a? gis fis e dis cis2 } }

Its relative major is E major. Its parallel major, C-sharp major, is usually written instead as the enharmonic key of D-flat major, since C-sharp major’s key signature with seven sharps is not normally used. Its enharmonic equivalent, D-flat minor, having eight flats including the Bdouble flat, has a similar problem. Therefore, C-sharp minor is often used as the parallel minor for D-flat major. (The same enharmonic situation occurs with the keys of A-flat major and G-sharp minor, and in some cases, with the keys of G-flat major and F-sharp minor.)