Bb Major Scale on Piano

The Bb Major scale sounds bright and resolved. It runs Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – A and is written with two flats.

It shares its key signature with G minor, its relative minor.

Interval Circle

WWHWWWHC2DbD3Eb4EF5GbG6AbA7Bb1B

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 reference point for Western tonality. Its half steps sit between the 3rd and 4th and between the 7th and 8th degrees, and that leading tone pulling up into the tonic is what makes it sound finished.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

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

Left Hand (ascending)

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

Why this fingering

2 black keys (Bb, Eb) 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 Major

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
BbBb4Root (1)43
CC5Major 2nd (2)12
DD5Major 3rd (3)21
EbEb5Perfect 4th (4)34
FF5Perfect 5th (5)13
GG5Major 6th (6)22
AA5Major 7th (7)31
BbBb5Octave (8)43

Other Major Scales

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

Other Bb Scales

Bb Natural Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab
Bb Harmonic Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A
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