B Harmonic Minor Scale on Piano

The B Harmonic Minor scale sounds tense and dramatic. It runs B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A# and is written with three sharps.

It shares its key signature with D major, its relative major.

Interval Circle

WHWWHW+HHCC#2Db3D#E4FF#5Gb6G#AA#7B1

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

Natural minor with the 7th raised back up, restoring the leading tone so dominant harmony works in a minor key. The augmented second it opens between the 6th and 7th degrees is the interval that gives the scale its distinctive edge.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Left Hand (ascending)

4-3-2-1-4-3-2-1

Why this fingering

3 black keys (C#, F#, A#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto E; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in B Harmonic Minor

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
BB4Root (1)14
C#C#5Major 2nd (2)23
DD5Minor 3rd (b3)32
EE5Perfect 4th (4)11
F#F#5Perfect 5th (5)24
GG5Minor 6th (b6)33
A#A#5Major 7th (7)42
BB5Octave (8)51

Other Harmonic Minor Scales

C Harmonic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B
C# Harmonic Minor
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B#
D Harmonic Minor
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C#
Eb Harmonic Minor
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – D
E Harmonic Minor
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D#
F Harmonic Minor
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E
F# Harmonic Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E#
G Harmonic Minor
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F#
G# Harmonic Minor
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E – F##
A Harmonic Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F – G#
Bb Harmonic Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A

Other B Scales

B Major
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A#
B Natural Minor
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A
B Melodic Minor
B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A#
B Major Pentatonic
B – C# – D# – F# – G#
B Minor Pentatonic
B – D – E – F# – A
B Blues
B – D – E – F – F# – A
B Dorian
B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A
B Mixolydian
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A
B Chromatic
B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A#