B♭ Minor Scale (Bb)
The Bb minor scale (also called Bb natural minor or Bb Aeolian) contains Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab. Its key signature has 5 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb. It uses the same piano keys as A# minor, spelled A# – B# – C# – D# – E# – F# – G# (7 sharps).
| Note | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Left hand | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
Bb minor scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to C and F. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to Db and finger 4 crosses over the thumb to Gb. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
Key signature
Bb minor has 5 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb. Its relative major is Db major, which uses the same notes and key signature. See the chords in the key of Bb minor and of C# major.
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Semitones from Bb |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bb | 0 |
| 2 | C | 2 |
| b3 | Db | 3 |
| 4 | Eb | 5 |
| 5 | F | 7 |
| b6 | Gb | 8 |
| b7 | Ab | 10 |
Step pattern
The Natural Minor scale is built from the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same mode in a different key.
Chords in Bb Natural Minor
Building a triad on each degree of the scale gives you the chords that belong to it. These are the chords to reach for when writing in Bb Natural Minor.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Bbm | Bb Db F |
| 2 | ii° | Cdim | C Eb Gb |
| 3 | III | Db | Db F Ab |
| 4 | iv | Ebm | Eb Gb Bb |
| 5 | v | Fm | F Ab C |
| 6 | VI | Gb | Gb Bb Db |
| 7 | VII | Ab | Ab C Eb |
Other modes on Bb
More scales on Bb
Natural Minor scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Bb Natural Minor scale?
The Bb Natural Minor scale contains Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, then returns to Bb an octave higher.
What is the fingering for the Bb minor scale on piano?
Going up from Bb to Bb, the right hand plays 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 and the left hand plays 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
How many flats are in Bb minor?
Bb minor has 5 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb.
What is the step pattern of the Natural Minor scale?
The Natural Minor scale follows the whole/half step pattern W – H – W – W – H – W – W, where W is a whole step (two semitones) and H is a half step (one semitone).
Which chords work with the Bb Natural Minor scale?
The diatonic chords are Bbm, Cdim, Db, Ebm, Fm, Gb, Ab. Each is built only from notes of the Bb Natural Minor scale, so they all belong to the same tonality — though the diminished chord carries a tritone and normally wants to resolve.