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C major scale
C D E F G A B: the C major scale has no sharps or flats. Change the root or the scale type below to see any other scale.
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Notes of the C major scale
The C major scale has 7 notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B. Like every major scale, it follows the pattern W–W–H–W–W–W–H (W = whole step, H = half step) from C up to the next C.
It has no sharps or flats: on the piano it is played on the white keys only.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Tonic |
| 2 | D | Supertonic |
| 3 | E | Mediant |
| 4 | F | Subdominant |
| 5 | G | Dominant |
| 6 | A | Submediant |
| 7 | B | Leading tone |
Chords in C major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the chords of C major: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and Bdim.
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| I | C (C E G) | Cmaj7 (C E G B) |
| ii | Dm (D F A) | Dm7 (D F A C) |
| iii | Em (E G B) | Em7 (E G B D) |
| IV | F (F A C) | Fmaj7 (F A C E) |
| V | G (G B D) | G7 (G B D F) |
| vi | Am (A C E) | Am7 (A C E G) |
| vii° | Bdim (B D F) | Bm7♭5 (B D F A) |
Key signature and related keys
C major uses the key signature with no sharps or flats. Its relative minor is A minor: the same notes and key signature, starting on A. Its parallel minor is C minor, which starts on the same note, C.
All major and minor scales
Major scales
- C major scale
- G major scale
- D major scale
- A major scale
- E major scale
- B major scale
- F♯ major scale
- D♭ major scale
- A♭ major scale
- E♭ major scale
- B♭ major scale
- F major scale