Let’s start with the building blocks of natural minor – you can use these with any starting note to make the minor scale. Once you know the notes of the C minor scale on piano, you can learn how to play the diatonic chords that fit the quality of the piece you’re learning!

Each different ‘flavor’ of minor scale sounds different because each one is built with a different combination of half and whole steps on the piano keys. Did you know there are actually three different types of minor scale in Western music? There is the natural minor scale, the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale. Knowing the notes of the C minor scale is the first step in learning the chords for the key of C minor. What are the notes of the C minor scale on the piano? While both of these pieces are in the key of C minor and use diatonic chords, you’ll likely associate different emotions with each piece. This means that every listener forms their own relationship with each minor key.Īs an experiment, take some time to listen to the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and then to Mendelssohn’s First Symphony and write down some emotion words that come to mind describing each piece. While some listeners consider C minor to be sad or gloomy, every minor key uses the same combination of half and whole steps. Traditionally, this scale was associated with sadness – but because all minor keys are created the same way, it just depends on how the listener interprets the music written in that key.

The catchy ‘80’s pop song power anthem Eye of the Tiger? C minor! Want to learn more about creating your own chords and develop your understanding of the basics of piano? Try Hoffman Academy Premium Today! Why is the C minor scale so popular?Ĭ minor is used in some of the most popular works in classical music! The noteworthy beginning of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony? C minor. In this article, we will walk you through the notes of the C minor scale, and show you how to put those notes together to play all of the diatonic chords for that key. When you use only the notes of the C minor scale to build chords, you end up with the diatonic chords for the key of C minor. This scale uses three flats, which is why any piece written in the key of C minor has three flats in the key signature. Playing in the key of C minor means you’re using the notes of the C minor scale. What chords are in the key of C minor? Learn all about the C minor scale and C minor chords below.Īre you struggling to understand how to play piano chords in C minor? We can help you learn the chords you need to play any piece in that key.

E flat minor chord piano