B flat major scale
The B♭ major scale is B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭. It has 2 flats (B♭ and E♭), its relative minor is G minor, and the standard piano fingering is 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 in the right hand and 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 in the left hand.
B flat major scale notes
The B♭ major scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭. Two of the seven are black keys on the piano (B♭ and E♭); the other five are white keys.
The step pattern is W W H W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between D and E♭ and A and B♭.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | B♭ | do | Black |
| 2 | Supertonic | C | re | White |
| 3 | Mediant | D | mi | White |
| 4 | Subdominant | E♭ | fa | Black |
| 5 | Dominant | F | sol | White |
| 6 | Submediant | G | la | White |
| 7 | Leading tone | A | ti | White |
B flat major key signature
The B♭ major key signature has 2 flats: B♭ and E♭, written in that order at the start of every line. Flats are always added in the order B, E, A, D, G, C, F. G minor shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the flats sit B♭ on the third line from the bottom and E♭ in the fourth space from the bottom.
Shortcut: the second to last flat, B♭, names the major key (B♭ major).
B flat major scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ | 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 |
| Left hand | B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ | 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 |
Right hand going up: B♭ (finger 4) to C (finger 1), the thumb passes under; then E♭ (finger 3) to F (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: D (finger 1) to E♭ (finger 4), the finger passes over the thumb; then A (finger 1) to B♭ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in B flat major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of B♭ major. The primary chords are B♭ (I), E♭ (IV) and F (V).
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | B♭ | B♭ D F | B♭maj7 | B♭ D F A |
| ii | Cm | C E♭ G | Cm7 | C E♭ G B♭ |
| iii | Dm | D F A | Dm7 | D F A C |
| IV | E♭ | E♭ G B♭ | E♭maj7 | E♭ G B♭ D |
| V | F | F A C | F7 | F A C E♭ |
| vi | Gm | G B♭ D | Gm7 | G B♭ D F |
| vii° | A° | A C E♭ | Am7♭5 | A C E♭ G |
One of the most common progressions in pop music, I V vi IV, is B♭, F, Gm, E♭ in B♭ major. A ii V I cadence is Cm7, F7, B♭maj7.
Reading B flat major on the staff
B flat major has two flats, B flat and E flat. Both hands start the scale on a black key, so neither hand starts with the thumb.
On the treble staff, B♭4 to B♭5 needs 1 ledger line above the staff. On the bass staff, B♭3 to B♭4 needs 4 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from B♭2.
The reading trap in B♭ major is the key signature: the flats are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (B♭ and E♭), then check every B and E on the page.
How to practise the B flat major scale
- Say the notes before you play them: B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 in the right hand and 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: B♭ (B♭ D F), E♭ (E♭ G B♭) and F (F A C).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills major scales, triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to B flat major
- G minor scale: relative minor, same key signature
- B flat minor scale: parallel minor, same tonic
- F major scale: a fifth above, 1 flat
- E flat major scale: a fifth below, 3 flats
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B flat major scale?
The B♭ major scale is B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭, then B♭ again an octave higher.
How many flats are in B flat major?
B flat major has 2 flats: B♭ and E♭.
What is the relative minor of B flat major?
G minor. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on G.
What chords are in B flat major?
B♭ (I), Cm (ii), Dm (iii), E♭ (IV), F (V), Gm (vi), A° (vii°).
What is the fingering for the B flat major scale on piano?
Right hand 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 going up from B♭; left hand 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.