C natural minor scale

3 flats: E♭ A♭ B♭ · pattern W–H–W–W–H–W–W

C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭

Step patternWHWWHWW

Chords in C natural minor

iCm

ii°Ddim

IIIE♭

ivFm

vGm

VIA♭

VIIB♭

Scale degrees

Degree	Note	Name	Half steps from C
1	C	Tonic	0
2	D	Supertonic	2
3	E♭	Mediant	3
4	F	Subdominant	5
5	G	Dominant	7
6	A♭	Submediant	8
7	B♭	Subtonic	10

About this scale

The natural minor scale lowers the 3rd, 6th and 7th of the major scale. C minor shares every note with its relative major, so the two keys share the same key signature.

Relative key: E♭ major.

Seventh chords in C natural minor scale

i7 Cm7iiø7 Dm7♭5IIImaj7 E♭maj7iv7 Fm7v7 Gm7VImaj7 A♭maj7VII7 B♭7

Other C scales

C major C harmonic minor C melodic minor C major pentatonic C minor pentatonic C blues C Dorian C Mixolydian

Natural minor scale in other keys

C♯D E♭E F F♯G A♭A B♭B

Questions

What are the notes of the C natural minor scale?

C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, and back to C.

How many sharps or flats are in C natural minor scale?

3: E♭, A♭, B♭.

What is the step pattern of the natural minor scale?

W–H–W–W–H–W–W, where W is a whole step (two keys) and H is a half step (the next key). Start that pattern on C to get this scale.

What is the relative major of C natural minor?

E♭ major. Both scales use the same notes but start on a different tonic.