C Minor
Key Signature
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonic | C |
| Mode | Minor |
| Accidentals | 3 flats |
| Key Signature Notes | B♭, E♭, A♭ |
C minor has three flats and is associated with tragic, heroic, and passionate expression. Beethoven famously used C minor in his 5th Symphony and Pathetique Sonata.
Diatonic Chords
The seven diatonic chords of C Minor — each built on a scale degree using only the notes of the key signature:
| Degree | Roman Numeral | Chord Type | Chord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Minor | C Minor |
| 2 | ii° | Diminished | D Diminished |
| 3 | III | Major | D♯ Major |
| 4 | iv | Minor | F Minor |
| 5 | v | Minor | G Minor |
| 6 | VI | Major | G♯ Major |
| 7 | VII | Major | A♯ Major |
Related Keys
- Relative Major
- E♭ Major — shares the same key signature.
- Parallel Major
- C Major — same tonic, different key signature.
See all key relationships on the Circle of Fifths.
Scales in C Minor
Common scales built from the C tonic:
Transposing Instrument Context
B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor saxophone) read in D minor to sound C Minor. E♭ instruments (alto saxophone, E♭ clarinet) read in A minor to sound C Minor. Flat-key signatures are particularly comfortable for woodwind instruments designed around B♭ and E♭ transpositions.