Scales in the Key of C-Sharp or D-Flat

C-sharp major/minor and D-flat major/minor are essentially the same keys using the same pitches but can be named either way.

Click on the scale name for a diagram and explanation of each scale type:

C♯ AND D♭ MAJOR SCALE

C♯ Major Scale

The C-sharp major scale contains seven notes and starts and ends on C♯. Major scales are arranged in a specific pattern of whole and half steps: W-W-H-W-W-W-H.

Keyboard diagram of a C sharp major scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Major Scale

The D-flat major scale contains seven notes and starts and ends on D♭. Major scales are arranged in a specific pattern of whole and half steps: W-W-H-W-W-W-H.

Keyboard diagram of a D flat major scales with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

C♯ AND D♭ NATURAL MINOR SCALE

C♯ Natural Minor Scale

The C-sharp natural minor scale follows the key signature of its relative major: E major. In natural minor scales, there are no additional accidentals.

The relative major key of C-sharp minor is E major. Therefore, C-sharp minor has four sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).

Keyboard diagram of a C sharp natural minor scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Natural Minor Scale

The D-flat natural minor scale follows the key signature of its relative major: F♭ major. In natural minor scales, there are no additional accidentals.

The relative major key of D-flat minor is F-flat major. Therefore, D-flat minor has six flats and one double-flat: E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭, B♭♭.

Keyboard diagram of a D-flat natural minor scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

TIP: To find the relative major key, count up three half-steps from the minor key’s root note.

C♯ AND D♭ HARMONIC MINOR SCALE

C♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

Harmonic minor scales follow the key signature of the relative major key and raise the seventh note of the scale by one half-step.

The relative major key of C-sharp minor is E major and the seventh note of C-sharp minor is B. Therefore, C-sharp harmonic minor has four sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯) but B is raised to B♯.

Keyboard diagram of a C-sharp harmonic minor scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Harmonic Minor Scale

Harmonic minor scales follow the key signature of the relative major key and raise the seventh note of the scale by one half-step.

The relative major key of D-flat minor is F-flat major and the seventh note of D-flat minor is C♭. Therefore, D-flat harmonic minor has six flats (E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭), one double flat (B♭♭), and the seventh note (C♭) is raised up a half-step to C.

C♯ AND D♭ MELODIC MINOR SCALE

C♯ Melodic Minor Scale – Ascending

In melodic minor scales, we raise the sixth and seventh notes up one half-step when ascending and lower them back down when descending. Melodic minor scales follow the key signature of the scale’s relative major.

The relative major key of C-sharp minor is E major. Therefore, C-sharp minor has four sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯) and A and B are the sixth and seventh notes. We raise A and B to A♯ and B♯ when ascending the melodic minor scale, and we lower them back to A and B when descending.

keyboard diagram of an ascending c sharp minor melodic scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

C♯ Melodic Minor Scale – Descending

Keyboard diagram of a descending melodic minor scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Melodic Minor Scale – Ascending

The relative major key of D-flat minor is F-flat major. Therefore, D-flat minor has six flats (E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭), one double flat (B♭♭) and B♭♭ and C♭ are the sixth and seventh notes. We raise B♭♭ and C♭ to B♭ and C when ascending the melodic minor scale, and we lower them back down to B♭♭ and C♭ when descending.

Keyboard diagram of an ascending D flat melodic minor scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Melodic Minor Scale – Descending

Keyboard diagram of a descending D flat melodic minor scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

C♯ AND D♭ MAJOR PENTATONIC SCALE

The major pentatonic is a five-note scale built on the following major scale degrees: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.

C♯ Major Pentatonic Scale

Keyboard diagram of a C-sharp major pentatonic scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Major Pentatonic Scale

Keyboard diagram of a D flat major pentatonic scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

C♯ AND D♭ MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE

The minor pentatonic scale is a five-note scale built on the following minor scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7.

You can also think of the minor pentatonic as being built on the following major scale degrees: 1, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭7.

C♯ Minor Pentatonic Scale

Keyboard diagram of a C sharp minor pentatonic scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Minor Pentatonic Scale

Keyboard diagram of a D flat minor pentatonic scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

C♯ AND D♭ MAJOR BLUES SCALE

The major blues scale is built on the following major scale degrees: 1, 2, ♭3, 3, 5, 6.

C♯ Major Blues Scale

Keyboard diagram of a C sharp major blues scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Major Blues Scale

Keyboard diagram of a D flat major blues scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

C♯ AND D♭ MINOR BLUES SCALE

The minor blues scale is built on the following minor scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, ♭5, 5, 7.

You can also think of the minor blues scale as being built on the following major scale degrees: 1, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, ♭7.

C♯ Minor Blues Scale

Keyboard diagram of a C sharp minor blues scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

D♭ Minor Blues Scale

Keyboard diagram of a D flat minor blues scale with keys highlighted in red and labeled.

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