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G sharp minor scale

The natural minor scale: the eight notes, fingering for both hands and the key signature.

The short answer

The notes of the G sharp minor scale are G sharp, A sharp, B, C sharp, D sharp, E and F sharp, and then G sharp again at the top.

On the keys

Keyboard with the G sharp minor scale marked: G sharp, A sharp, B, C sharp, D sharp, E and F sharpBEG♯A♯C♯D♯F♯G♯

Yellow is the starting note, and the same note again an octave up.

On the staff

Treble and bass staves showing the G sharp minor scale, one octave: G sharp, A sharp, B, C sharp, D sharp, E and F sharpG♯A♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯

One octave of G sharp minor, with the key signature at the start of each staff. G sharp minor has five sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp, G sharp, D sharp and A sharp. The right hand reads the treble clef; the left plays the same notes two octaves lower, on the bass clef.

Fingering

One octave going up. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse order.

HandG♯A♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯
Right34123123
Left32132143

Key signature

G sharp minor has five sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp, G sharp, D sharp and A sharp. This is the natural minor, so it uses the key signature of its relative major, B major.

Harmonic and melodic minor

The natural minor is one of three minor scales. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note by a semitone, which gives G sharp minor a leading note a semitone below the top: G sharp, A sharp, B, C sharp, D sharp, E and F double sharp. The melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh notes going up: G sharp, A sharp, B, C sharp, D sharp, E sharp and F double sharp. Coming down it goes back to the natural minor.

Keep going

i chord: G sharp minor

G sharp, B and D sharp.

iv chord: C sharp minor

C sharp, E and G sharp.

v chord: D sharp minor

D sharp minor, written here as E flat minor: the same keys on the piano, spelled differently. D sharp, F sharp and A sharp.

B major scale

The relative major: the same seven notes and the same key signature, starting on B.

G sharp major scale

G sharp major, written here as A flat major: the same keys on the piano, spelled differently. Same starting note, a different mood.

Questions

How many sharps does the G sharp minor scale have?

G sharp minor has five sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp, G sharp, D sharp and A sharp.

What is the fingering for the G sharp minor scale?

For one octave going up, the right hand uses 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 and the left hand uses 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3.

Practise G sharp minor and the other scales in PlayPiano, a piano practice app for iPhone and iPad.

Play it in the app