Introduction

The C Minor 6 Pentatonic scale contains five notes: C, E♭, F, G, and A. It follows the whole-step / half-step pattern m3-W-W-W-m3.

C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale Notes

Degree	Name	Note	Interval
1	Tonic	C	P1
2	Supertonic	E♭	m3
3	Mediant	F	P4
4	Subdominant	G	P5
5	Dominant	A	M6
6	Submediant	C	—

Key Signature

The key of C Minor 6 Pentatonic has 3 flats.

B♭E♭A♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Parallel and Relative Keys

Every minor 6 pentatonic scale has two close cousins. The parallel key shares the same root note but flips the mode (major ↔ minor). The relative key shares the exact same notes and key signature, but starts on a different tonic — three semitones up. Both relationships matter for songwriting: borrowing chords from the parallel key adds emotional color, and pivoting to the relative key is a smooth way to change the mood of a section without changing keys on paper.

Parallel key: C Major Scale — same root note (C), opposite mode. The third, sixth, and seventh degrees shift by a half-step. See also the C Major Chord.

Relative key: D# Major Scale — same key signature, different tonic. C Minor 6 Pentatonic and D# Major use the same seven notes; the difference is which note feels like “home.” See also the D# Major Chord.

Chords in the Key of C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale

These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale:

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

i — C Minor (minor)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	i	C Minor	Minor
2	ii°	D Diminished	Diminished
3	III	D♯ Major	Major
4	iv	F Minor	Minor
5	v	G Minor	Minor
6	VI	G♯ Major	Major
7	VII	A♯ Major	Major

C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale — Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in the C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale?

The C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale contains five notes: C – Eb – F – G – A. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.

How many sharps or flats does C Minor 6 Pentatonic have?

The key of C Minor 6 Pentatonic has 3 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭. Flats are added in a fixed order — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭ — the reverse of the sharp order.

What is the relative major of C Minor 6 Pentatonic?

The relative major of C Minor 6 Pentatonic is D# Major. Both scales share the same key signature and the same seven notes — the difference is which note feels like "home." Switching between a minor key and its relative major is one of the most common ways composers shift mood without changing the underlying notes.

What chords are in the key of C Minor 6 Pentatonic?

The seven diatonic chords in the key of C Minor 6 Pentatonic are: i – C Minor, ii° – D Diminished, III – D# Major, iv – F Minor, v – G Minor, VI – G# Major, VII – A# Major. A classic progression in C Minor 6 Pentatonic is i – VI – iv – v (C Minor → G# Major → F Minor → G Minor).

What is the parallel major of C Minor 6 Pentatonic?

The parallel major of C Minor 6 Pentatonic is C Major. "Parallel" means same root note, opposite mode — the two scales differ by three notes (the third, sixth, and seventh are lowered in minor). Borrowing chords from the parallel key is a popular way to add color to a progression.

What does the C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale sound like?

The C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale has the foundation of rock, blues, and pop guitar solos — minor without the unstable second and sixth. With only five notes, the pentatonic scale avoids the most dissonant intervals — every note in the scale sounds good against every other, which makes it ideal for soloing.

Explore More

Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale in Other Keys

C#Db D D#Eb E F F#Gb G G#Ab A A#Bb B Cb

Browse all Minor 6 Pentatonic Scales →All C Scales →Learn about minor scales →

Related Lessons

Keep going with the Minor 6 Pentatonic scale — these pages cover the underlying theory, the connected reference material, and the practice tools that work with this scale.

C Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale