Skip to content

Guitar scales · Natural minor (Aeolian)

B♭ minor scale on guitar (Bb minor)

The B♭ minor scale has seven notes: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭ and A♭. As degrees: 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6 and ♭7.

Notes and pattern

The B♭ minor scale

The of a major key: same notes, starting on the 6th degree. Play it to hear it up and down.

From note to note it climbs 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2 and 2 : whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole.

B♭ minor has the same notes as D♭ major, starting from B♭. See that scale.

  1. B♭1
  2. C2
  3. D♭♭3
  4. E♭4
  5. F5
  6. G♭♭6
  7. A♭♭7
EADGBE0135791215B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FG♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♭CE♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FA♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♭CD♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FG♭
  • B♭, the root
  • Other scale notes

Positions

B♭ minor in five positions

The splits the neck into five overlapping positions, one per shape. Learn one, then join it to the next.

B♭ minor · the whole neck

Five positions, each overlapping the next, repeating every 12 frets.

CCAAGEDDEADGBE0135791215B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FG♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♭CE♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FA♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♭CD♭FG♭A♭CD♭E♭FG♭
  • Root (B♭)
  • Scale tone

Chords

Chords from the B♭ minor scale

Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get its chords.

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Hear the chords and progressions in B♭ minor

Same root

Other scales on B♭

Change a note or two and the same takes on a new mood.

Questions

B♭ minor, in short

What notes are in the B♭ minor scale?
The B♭ minor scale has seven notes: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭ and A♭. As degrees: 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6 and ♭7.
What chords go with the B♭ minor scale?
The chords built on B♭ minor are B♭m, C°, D♭, E♭m, Fm, G♭ and A♭.
What is the relative major of B♭ minor?
B♭ minor has the same notes as D♭ major, starting from B♭.
All guitar scales