B Minor Pentatonic Scale on Piano

The B Minor Pentatonic scale sounds raw and vocal. It runs B – D – E – F# – A and is written with one sharp.

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

Interval Circle

W+HWWW+HWCC#Db3D#E4FF#5GG#Ab7A#B1

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

The same five-note shape rotated to start on its relative minor. It is the backbone of blues, rock and soul improvisation — five notes that stay usable over an entire minor or dominant progression.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-1-2-3-4

Left Hand (ascending)

3-2-1-3-2-1

Why this fingering

One black key (F#) sits in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid it. 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 Minor Pentatonic

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
BB4Root (1)13
DD5Minor 3rd (b3)22
EE5Perfect 4th (4)11
F#F#5Perfect 5th (5)23
AA5Minor 7th (b7)32
BB5Octave (8)41

Other Minor Pentatonic Scales

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

Other B Scales

B Major
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A#
B Natural Minor
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A
B Harmonic 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 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#