PlayPiano

B minor scale

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

The short answer

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

On the keys

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

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

On the staff

Treble and bass staves showing the B minor scale, one octave: B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp, G and ABC♯DEF♯GAB

One octave of B minor, with the key signature at the start of each staff. B minor has two sharps in its key signature: F sharp and C 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.

HandBC♯DEF♯GAB
Right12312345
Left43214321

Key signature

B minor has two sharps in its key signature: F sharp and C sharp. This is the natural minor, so it uses the key signature of its relative major, D 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 B minor a leading note a semitone below the top: B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp, G and A sharp. The melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh notes going up: B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp, G sharp and A sharp. Coming down it goes back to the natural minor.

Keep going

Questions

How many sharps does the B minor scale have?

B minor has two sharps in its key signature: F sharp and C sharp.

What is the fingering for the B minor scale?

For one octave going up, the right hand uses 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 and the left hand uses 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1.

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

Play it in the app