C-flat note

The Solution below shows the position of note C-flat on the piano, treble clef and bass clef.

The Lesson steps then describe the note characteristics and relationship with the notes around it, and also lists which scales the note is in.

For a quick summary of this topic, have a look at Note name.

Note names on the piano
KeyCC#DbDD#EbEE#FbFF#GbGG#AbAA#BbBB#[Cb]

Solution

1. C-flat note

This step shows note C-flat on two octaves, on the piano, treble clef and bass clef.

Cb is a white key on the piano.

Another name for Cb is B, which has the same note pitch / sound, which means that the two note names are enharmonic to each other.

It is called flat because it is 1 half-tone(s) / semitone(s) down from the white note after which is is named - note C.

C-flat note

Middle C (midi note 60) is shown with an orange line under the 2nd note on the piano diagram.

These note names are shown below on the treble clef followed by the bass clef.

On the treble clef, Middle C is shown with an orange ledger line below the main 5 staff lines.

On the bass clef, Middle C is shown with an orange ledger line above the main 5 staff lines.

C-flat note

C-flat note

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

Lesson steps

1. Piano key note names

This step shows the white and black note names on a piano keyboard so that the note names are familiar for later steps, and to show that the note names start repeating themselves after 12 notes.

The white keys are named using the alphabetic letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, which is a pattern that repeats up the piano keyboard.

Every white or black key could have a flat(b) or sharp(#) accidental name, depending on how that note is used. In a later step, if sharp or flat notes are used, the exact accidental names will be chosen.

Sharp and flat note names

The audio files below play every note shown on the piano above, so middle C (marked with an orange line at the bottom) is the 2nd note heard.

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

2. C-flat note

This step shows note C-flat in two different positions on the piano, and describes the note characteristics.

Cb is a white key on the piano.

Another name for Cb is B, which has the same note pitch / sound, which means that the two note names are enharmonic to each other.

It is called flat because it is 1 half-tone(s) / semitone(s) down from the white note after which is is named - note C.

The next note up from Cb is C.

Or put another way, C is 1 half-tone / semitone higher than Cb.

There are no black keys between Cb and C.

The next note down from Cb is Bb / A#.

Or put another way, Bb / A# is 1 half-tone / semitone lower than Cb.

C-flat note

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

3. Note C-flat is found in which scales ?

This step shows which scales note C-flat occurs in, including the scale degree (ie. position / scale note number) of that scale.
Note C-flat is found in which scales ?
C-flat is the leading tone of Dbb major scale (seventh note)
C-flat is the submediant of Ebb major scale (sixth note)
C-flat is the dominant of Fb major scale (fifth note)
C-flat is the subdominant of Gb major scale (fourth note)
C-flat is the mediant of Abb major scale (third note)
C-flat is the supertonic of Bbb major scale (second note)
C-flat is the tonic of Cb major scale (first note)
C-flat is the subtonic of Db natural minor scale (seventh note)
C-flat is the submediant of Eb natural minor scale (sixth note)
C-flat is the dominant of Fb natural minor scale (fifth note)
C-flat is the subdominant of Gb natural minor scale (fourth note)
C-flat is the mediant of Ab natural minor scale (third note)
C-flat is the supertonic of Bbb natural minor scale (second note)
C-flat is the tonic of Cb natural minor scale (first note)
C-flat is the leading tone of Dbb harmonic minor scale (seventh note)
C-flat is the submediant of Eb harmonic minor scale (sixth note)
C-flat is the dominant of Fb harmonic minor scale (fifth note)
C-flat is the subdominant of Gb harmonic minor scale (fourth note)
C-flat is the mediant of Ab harmonic minor scale (third note)
C-flat is the supertonic of Bbb harmonic minor scale (second note)
C-flat is the tonic of Cb harmonic minor scale (first note)
C-flat is the leading tone of Dbb melodic minor scale (seventh note)
C-flat is the submediant of Ebb melodic minor scale (sixth note)
C-flat is the dominant of Fb melodic minor scale (fifth note)
C-flat is the subdominant of Gb melodic minor scale (fourth note)
C-flat is the mediant of Ab melodic minor scale (third note)
C-flat is the supertonic of Bbb melodic minor scale (second note)
C-flat is the tonic of Cb melodic minor scale (first note)
C-flat is the first note of  Cb blues scale
C-flat is the first note of  Cb major pentatonic scale
C-flat is the first note of  Cb minor pentatonic scale

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