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B natural minor scale

B C♯ D E F♯ G A: the B natural minor scale has 2 sharps (F♯, C♯). Change the root or the scale type below to see any other scale.

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Music scales

B natural minor scale

B, 1C♯, 2D, ♭3E, 4F♯, 5G, ♭6A, ♭7

The B natural minor scale has 7 notes: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G and A.

Formula1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps (W = whole, H = half)W – H – W – W – H – W – W
Semitones2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2

On the piano

BDEGABC♯F♯

On the staff (treble clef)

On the guitar fretboard (standard tuning, frets 0-12)

123456789101112EADGBEEF♯GABC♯DEABC♯DEF♯GADEF♯GABC♯DGABC♯DEF♯GBC♯DEF♯GABEF♯GABC♯DE

Scale degrees

DegreeNoteNameInterval from the tonic
1Btonicperfect unison
2C♯supertonicmajor second
♭3Dmediantminor third
4Esubdominantperfect fourth
5F♯dominantperfect fifth
♭6Gsubmediantminor sixth
♭7Asubtonicminor seventh
Key signature2 sharps (F♯ C♯)
Relative majorD major

Chords in B minor

Bm, iC♯dim, ii°D, IIIEm, ivF♯m, vG, VIA, VII

Notes of the B natural minor scale

The B natural minor scale has 7 notes: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G and A. Like every natural minor scale, it follows the pattern W–H–W–W–H–W–W (W = whole step, H = half step) from B up to the next B.

It has 2 sharps: F♯ and C♯.

DegreeNoteName
1BTonic
2C♯Supertonic
♭3DMediant
4ESubdominant
5F♯Dominant
♭6GSubmediant
♭7ASubtonic

Chords in B minor

Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the chords of B minor: Bm, C♯dim, D, Em, F♯m, G and A.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
iBm (B D F♯)Bm7 (B D F♯ A)
ii°C♯dim (C♯ E G)C♯m7♭5 (C♯ E G B)
IIID (D F♯ A)Dmaj7 (D F♯ A C♯)
ivEm (E G B)Em7 (E G B D)
vF♯m (F♯ A C♯)F♯m7 (F♯ A C♯ E)
VIG (G B D)Gmaj7 (G B D F♯)
VIIA (A C♯ E)A7 (A C♯ E G)

Key signature and related keys

B minor uses the key signature with 2 sharps (F♯, C♯). Its relative major is D major: the same notes and key signature, starting on D. Its parallel major is B major, which starts on the same note, B.

Harmonic and melodic minor

The B harmonic minor scale raises the seventh note by a half step: B C♯ D E F♯ G A♯. The raised seventh, A♯, is the one that makes the dominant chord major.

The B melodic minor scale raises both the sixth and the seventh on the way up: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ (G♯ and A♯). In classical music it usually comes back down as the natural minor.

All major and minor scales

Major scales

Natural minor scales

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the B natural minor scale?
B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G and A.
How many sharps or flats are in B minor?
2 sharps (F♯, C♯).
What is the relative major of B minor?
D major. Both keys share the same key signature.
What chords are in the key of B minor?
Bm (i), C♯dim (ii°), D (III), Em (iv), F♯m (v), G (VI), A (VII).

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