Bb Minor Scale
B flat natural minor runs B flat, C, D flat, E flat, F, G flat, A flat and back to B flat. Its key signature has five flats. A flat sits a whole step below the final B flat; raising it to A natural makes the closer approach used in B flat harmonic minor.
- Notes: B flat-C-D flat-E flat-F-G flat-A flat
- Key signature: five flats
- Relative major: D flat major
Where do the half steps fall?
In natural minor, the half steps are between degrees 2-3 and 5-6. Here they are C-D flat and F-G flat. Try each pair on adjacent piano keys. The key for G flat lies between F and G, so F-G flat really is a half step even though one note is written with a flat.
The tonic chord is B flat-D flat-F. For a parallel-major comparison, play B flat-D-F. The change D flat to D alters the third of the chord while the root and fifth stay put.
What does the key signature contain?
B flat, E flat, A flat, D flat and G flat. The order on the staff is B-E-A-D-G, although the scale itself begins on B flat. D flat major uses the same collection, starting on D flat. Hold a B-flat-minor chord and end a line on B flat, then hold D flat-F-A flat and end on D flat to hear two possible centers.
Which chords can you build?
The natural-minor triads are B flat minor, C diminished, D flat, E flat minor, F minor, G flat and A flat. A common minor-key variation changes F minor, F-A flat-C, to F major, F-A-C. The A natural is outside the natural-minor list but a half step below B flat.
Play Fm-B flat minor, then F-B flat minor. Follow A flat in the first pair and A natural in the second. Harmonic Minor explains why the raised seventh appears.