Bb Harmonic Minor Scale on Piano

The Bb Harmonic Minor scale sounds tense and dramatic. It runs Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A and is written with four flats.

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

Interval Circle

WHWWHW+HHC2Dbb3DEb4EF5Gbb6GAbA7Bb1B

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)

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

Left Hand (ascending)

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

Why this fingering

4 black keys (Bb, Db, Eb, Gb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto C and F; 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 Bb Harmonic Minor

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
BbBb4Root (1)42
CC5Major 2nd (2)11
DbDb5Minor 3rd (b3)23
EbEb5Perfect 4th (4)32
FF5Perfect 5th (5)11
GbGb5Minor 6th (b6)24
AA5Major 7th (7)33
BbBb5Octave (8)42

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

Other Bb Scales

Bb Major
Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – A
Bb Natural Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab
Bb Melodic Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G – A
Bb Major Pentatonic
Bb – C – D – F – G
Bb Minor Pentatonic
Bb – Db – Eb – F – Ab
Bb Blues
Bb – Db – Eb – E – F – Ab
Bb Dorian
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G – Ab
Bb Mixolydian
Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab
Bb Chromatic
Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A