G minor scale
The G minor scale is G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G. It has 2 flats (B♭ and E♭), its relative major is B♭ major, and the standard piano fingering is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left hand.
G minor scale notes
The G minor scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G. Two of the seven are black keys on the piano (B♭ and E♭); the other five are white keys.
The step pattern is W H W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between A and B♭ and D and E♭.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | G | la | White |
| 2 | Supertonic | A | ti | White |
| 3 | Mediant | B♭ | do | Black |
| 4 | Subdominant | C | re | White |
| 5 | Dominant | D | mi | White |
| 6 | Submediant | E♭ | fa | Black |
| 7 | Subtonic | F | sol | White |
Natural, harmonic and melodic G minor
G minor has three common forms. The natural minor follows the key signature. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note to F♯, which makes the chord on the fifth degree major (D) and gives a strong pull back to G. The melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh notes on the way up (E and F♯) and traditionally plays the natural form on the way down.
| Form | Notes | Changed from natural |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G | Nothing: follows the key signature |
| Harmonic minor | G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F♯, G | 7th raised to F♯ |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | G, A, B♭, C, D, E, F♯, G | 6th and 7th raised to E and F♯ |
G minor key signature
The G minor 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. B♭ major 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); the minor key with the same signature starts three half steps lower, on G.
G minor scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Left hand | G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 |
Right hand going up: B♭ (finger 3) to C (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: D (finger 1) to E♭ (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 G minor
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of G minor. The primary chords are Gm (i), Cm (iv) and D (V). The natural minor's own fifth chord is Dm (v), but music in G minor usually raises the seventh and uses D (V) instead.
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Gm | G B♭ D | Gm7 | G B♭ D F |
| ii° | A° | A C E♭ | Am7♭5 | A C E♭ G |
| III | B♭ | B♭ D F | B♭maj7 | B♭ D F A |
| iv | Cm | C E♭ G | Cm7 | C E♭ G B♭ |
| v | Dm | D F A | Dm7 | D F A C |
| VI | E♭ | E♭ G B♭ | E♭maj7 | E♭ G B♭ D |
| VII | F | F A C | F7 | F A C E♭ |
A common minor progression, i iv V i, is Gm, Cm, D, Gm in G minor, using the major V from the harmonic form. The dominant seventh is D7 (D F♯ A C).
Reading G minor on the staff
G minor has two flats, B flat and E flat. Its harmonic form raises F to F sharp, so in G minor music you will often see F sharps written in.
On the treble staff, G4 to G5 needs no ledger lines. On the bass staff, G3 to G4 needs 3 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from G2.
The reading trap in G minor 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 G minor scale
- Say the notes before you play them: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 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: Gm (G B♭ D), Cm (C E♭ G) and D (D F♯ A).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills minor scales (natural and harmonic, one octave), 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 G minor
- B flat major scale: relative major, same key signature
- G major scale: parallel major, same tonic
- D minor scale: a fifth above, 1 flat
- C minor scale: a fifth below, 3 flats
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the G minor scale?
The G minor scale is G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, then G again an octave higher.
How many flats are in G minor?
G minor has 2 flats: B♭ and E♭.
What is the relative major of G minor?
B♭ major. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on B♭.
What chords are in G minor?
Gm (i), A° (ii°), B♭ (III), Cm (iv), Dm (v), E♭ (VI), F (VII). With the raised seventh of the harmonic minor, the V chord becomes D.
What is the fingering for the G minor scale on piano?
Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up from G; left hand 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.