C sharp melodic minor scale on cavaquinho

The C sharp melodic minor scale has 7 notes: C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ (C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, and B sharp).

C♯ C sharp 1
D♯ D sharp 2
E ♭3
F♯ F sharp 4
G♯ G sharp 5
A♯ A sharp 6
B♯ B sharp 7

BPM

Rhythm Metronome

C sharp melodic minor scale on cavaquinho: the whole fretboard with the notes C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B#, from fret 0 to 17

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (C♯) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 4 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯)
string 3: 5 (B♯), 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
string 2: 5 (E), 7 (F♯)
string 1: 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯)

Position 5 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯), 10 (B♯)
string 3: 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯), 9 (E)
string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯)
string 1: 8 (A♯), 10 (B♯)

Position 6 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 8 (A♯), 10 (B♯), 11 (C♯)
string 3: 8 (D♯), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
string 2: 9 (G♯), 11 (A♯)
string 1: 10 (B♯), 11 (C♯)

Position 7 (frets 9 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 10 (B♯), 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯)
string 3: 9 (E), 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯)
string 2: 11 (A♯), 13 (B♯), 14 (C♯)
string 1: 13 (D♯), 14 (E)

Position 1 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 14 (E)
string 3: 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯), 15 (A♯)
string 2: 13 (B♯), 14 (C♯)
string 1: 13 (D♯), 14 (E)

Position 2 (frets 13 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 13 (D♯), 14 (E), 16 (F♯)
string 3: 13 (G♯), 15 (A♯), 17 (B♯)
string 2: 14 (C♯), 16 (D♯), 17 (E)
string 1: 16 (F♯)

Position 3 (frets 13 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 14 (E), 16 (F♯)
string 3: 13 (G♯), 15 (A♯), 17 (B♯)
string 2: 14 (C♯), 16 (D♯), 17 (E)
string 1: 16 (F♯)

Fretboard positions

Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (C sharp).

On the cavaquinho the strings sit close together in pitch, and the 3-notes-per-string shape from the guitar would turn into a 7-fret stretch. That is why each position here fits within 5 frets.

Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.

Formula

C♯
W
D♯
H
E
W
F♯
W
G♯
W
A♯
W
B♯
H
C♯

Degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. Steps: W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).

About the melodic minor scale

Minor with major 6th and 7th (the jazz form). A minor sound, but bright.

Harmonized scale (chords in the key)

The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.

Degree	Triad	Seventh chord	Function
Im	C♯m	C♯m(7M)	tonic
IIm	D♯m	D♯m7	subdominant
III+	E+	E7M(#5)	tonic
IV	F♯	F♯7	subdominant
V	G♯	G♯7	dominant
VI°	A♯°	A♯m7(b5)	subdominant
VII°	B♯°	B♯m7(b5)	dominant

Scales with the same notes

F♯ Nordestina (Brazilian baião)

More C sharp scales

Melodic minor in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the C sharp melodic minor scale?

The notes of the C sharp melodic minor scale are C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, and B sharp. The root, degree 1, is C sharp.

What is the formula of the C sharp melodic minor scale?

In degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. In steps between the notes: W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do you play the C sharp melodic minor scale on cavaquinho?

Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (C sharp). There are 7 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.

Which chords belong to the C sharp melodic minor scale?

The chords of the harmonized scale are: C♯m, D♯m, E+, F♯, G♯, A♯°, B♯°.

On other instruments

All scales on cavaquinho