B Minor Scale
The B minor scale has seven notes: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G and A. It has 2 sharps (F♯ and C♯), and it is the relative minor of D major.
Notes
- B1
- C♯2
- D♭3
- E4
- F♯5
- G♭6
- A♭7
Step pattern: W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)
| Degree | Note | Interval from B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Root |
| 2 | C♯ | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | D | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | E | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | F♯ | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | G | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | A | Minor 7th |
On the piano
On the guitar
Root Scale tone
Key signature
B minor has 2 sharps: F♯ C♯. See it on the circle of fifths →
Chords in the key of B minor
| Numeral | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Bm | Bm7 |
| ii° | C♯dim | C♯m7♭5 |
| III | D | Dmaj7 |
| iv | Em | Em7 |
| v | F♯m | F♯m7 |
| VI | G | Gmaj7 |
| VII | A | A7 |
Common progressions
- Classic minorBm – Em – F♯mi – iv – v
- Epic / pop minorBm – G – D – Ai – VI – III – VII
- DescendingBm – A – G – F♯mi – VII – VI – v
Related scales
Practise it
- Alternate picking on one stringTechnique · moved up 2 frets into B
- Palm-muted gallopMetal · moved up 7 frets into B
Explore it on the full fretboard · Piano scale explorer · Metronome