G sharp minor scale

The G♯ minor scale is G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E and F♯, with five sharps. From G♯, the steps go whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole.

  1. G♯1
  2. whole
  3. A♯2
  4. half
  5. B3
  6. whole
  7. C♯4
  8. whole
  9. D♯5
  10. half
  11. E6
  12. whole
  13. F♯7
  14. whole
  15. G♯8
B1E1G♯3A♯4C♯2D♯3F♯2G♯3

G♯ minor on the staff, piano and guitar

On the staff

♯♯♯♯♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯♯♯♯♯♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯

On piano

Right hand 3 4, then the thumb passes under to B: 1 2 3 1 2 3.

B1E1G♯3A♯2C♯3D♯2F♯4G♯3

Left hand 3 2 1, then finger 3 crosses over to C♯: 3 2 1 4 3.

Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.

On guitar

34567EBGDAEG♯A♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯A♯B

Every note of G♯ minor between the 3rd and 7th fret. The root, G♯, has a heavy ring.

How to play the G sharp minor scale on piano

  1. Find G♯, the middle black key of a group of three.
  2. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to A♯, a black key.
  3. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to B.
  4. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to C♯, a black key.
  5. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to D♯, a black key.
  6. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to E.
  7. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to F♯, a black key.
  8. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to G♯, an octave above where you started.

Practice the G♯ minor scale

Play the G♯ minor scale one note a beat, up and back down: G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ F♯ E D♯ C♯ B A♯ G♯. Hands separately first. Start at 60 beats a minute and move up toward 100 once every note lands on the beat.

G♯
  1. G♯
  2. A♯
  3. B
  4. C♯
  5. D♯
  6. E
  7. F♯
  8. G♯
  9. F♯
  10. E
  11. D♯
  12. C♯
  13. B
  14. A♯
  15. G♯

The key of G♯ minor

Follow the minor pattern from G♯ and five notes need a sharp: G♯, A♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯. Those five sharps are the key signature, the same as B major, its relative major.

Relative major
B major
Parallel major
G♯ major
Neighbors on the circle of fifths
C♯ minor and D♯ minor
♯♯♯♯♯CAmGEmDBmAF♯mEVIC♯mivBC♭IIIG♯mA♭miF♯G♭VIID♯mE♭mvD♭C♯B♭mA♯mA♭FmE♭CmB♭GmFDmG♯ minor
G♯ minor on the circle of fifths, with the chords of its key marked.

The name of each note in the key

  1. 1G♯tonic
  2. 2A♯supertonic
  3. 3Bmediant
  4. 4C♯subdominant
  5. 5D♯dominant
  6. 6Esubmediant
  7. 7F♯subtonic

Chords in G♯ minor

Build a chord on each note of the scale, using only the scale's notes, and you get the seven chords of the key. The numeral is the chord's place in the key: capitals for major, small letters for minor.

  1. iG♯m
  2. ii°A♯dim
  3. IIIB
  4. ivC♯m
  5. vD♯m
  6. VIE
  7. VIIF♯

G♯ harmonic and melodic minor

Harmonic minor

G♯ harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, F♯ to F𝄪, so the scale leads back to G♯.

♯♯♯♯♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E𝄪F𝄪G♯

Melodic minor

G♯ melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th notes going up, E to E♯ and F♯ to F𝄪, and comes back down as the natural minor.

♯♯♯♯♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯♯E♯𝄪F𝄪G♯♯F♯♮ED♯C♯BA♯G♯

Modes on the same notes

Start the B major scale on another of its notes and you get a mode, with the same key signature: B ionian, C♯ dorian, D♯ phrygian, E lydian, F♯ mixolydian, G♯ aeolian, A♯ locrian.

Practice notes for the G sharp minor scale

G♯ minor has five sharps, F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯: G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯. It is the relative minor of B major. It is also where most players meet their first double sharp, F𝄪, in the harmonic and melodic forms.

Where it goes wrong. F𝄪. Harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step. In this key the 7th is already F♯, so raising it gives F double sharp, written 𝄪. You play it on the white key most people call G. It is not written as G, because the scale already has a G, the keynote G♯. Melodic minor going up raises E and F♯ to E♯ and F𝄪.

How to practice it. Right hand: 3 4 for G♯ A♯, thumb under to B, 2 3 for C♯ D♯, thumb under to E, 2 3 for F♯ G♯. Left hand: 3 2 1 for G♯ A♯ B, then 3 crosses over to C♯, 2 1 for D♯ E, and 4 3 for F♯ G♯. In harmonic minor the fingers stay the same, and F𝄪 moves finger 2 (right hand) or 4 (left) from F♯ to the white key next to it.

What to listen for. F𝄪 to G♯, a half step up to the keynote. In harmonic minor, E to F𝄪 is three half steps wide, the step that gives that form its sound.

What to learn next. B major, the relative major with the same five sharps, and C♯ minor, one sharp fewer. A♭ minor is the same keys spelled with seven flats; this site lists it here, under G♯ minor.

Questions

What are the notes of the G♯ minor scale?

G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E and F♯, then G♯ again an octave up.

What chords are in the key of G♯ minor?

G♯m, A♯dim, B, C♯m, D♯m, E and F♯: i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI and VII.

Why does G♯ minor have five sharps?

Follow the minor pattern from G♯ and five notes need a sharp: G♯, A♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯. Those five sharps are the key signature, the same as B major, its relative major.

What is the relative major of G♯ minor?

B major. It uses the same notes and the same key signature, starting on B.

What is the G♯ harmonic minor scale?

G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E and F𝄪. G♯ harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, F♯ to F𝄪, so the scale leads back to G♯.