Scale reference
B minor scale
B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G – A
The B minor scale runs B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A and then back to B. It follows the natural minor step pattern — tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone — which is what makes it minor rather than any other kind of scale.
It uses each letter name once, which is why it is written with 2 sharps.
The notes
The step pattern
Every minor scale uses the same sequence of steps. Change the starting note and the pattern is what you keep.
- B1tone
- C♯2semi
- D3tone
- E4tone
- F♯5semi
- G6tone
- A7tone
- B8
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Name | Interval from B | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Tonic | Perfect unison | 0 |
| 2 | C♯ | Supertonic | Major second | 2 |
| 3 | D | Mediant | Minor third | 3 |
| 4 | E | Subdominant | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | F♯ | Dominant | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | G | Submediant | Minor sixth | 8 |
| 7 | A | Subtonic | Minor seventh | 10 |
The other two minor forms
Minor comes in three forms. They share the first five notes and differ near the top.
| Form | Notes | Why it exists |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G – A | The plain form, matching the key signature. |
| Harmonic minor | B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G – A♯ | Raises the seventh degree, restoring the leading tone. |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ | Raises the sixth as well, smoothing the step-and-a-half gap. |
A piece in B minor will move between all three depending on what the harmony needs at that moment. See minor scales for how they are chosen.
Key signature
B minor is the scale of the key of B minor, which has 2 sharps. The key page lists the seven chords built on these notes.