Piano Minor Scales
There are not one but three Minor scales, all presented here with keyboard diagrams, notes and fingerings. The three groups of Minor scales are:
- The Natural Minor (see below)
- The Melodic Minor
- The Harmonic Minor
The Natural Minor Scale is often referred to simply as “the Minor Scale”. This scale can be confusing because it is in a way identical to the Major Scale. The A Minor Scale include exactly the same notes as the C Major Scale which makes them relative keys (read more about this further down the page). See also arpeggios.
Natural Minor Scales
Here are pictures and notes of scales.
A Minor
Notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
Fingering (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
A# / Bb Minor
Notes: A#, C, C#, D#, F, F#, G#, A#
Fingering (LH): 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2
Fingering (RH): 2, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4
B Minor
Notes: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B
Fingering (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
C Minor
Notes: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C
Fingering (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
C# / Db Minor
Notes: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#
Fingering (LH): 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3
Fingering (RH): 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3
D Minor
Notes: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D
Fingering (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
D# / Eb Minor
Notes: D#, F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#
Fingering (LH): 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2
Fingering (RH): 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3
E Minor
Notes: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
Fingering (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
F Minor
Notes: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F
Fingering (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4
F# / Gb Minor
Notes: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#
Fingering (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4
Fingering (RH): 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3
G Minor
Notes: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G
Fingering (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
G# / Ab Minor
Notes: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#
Fingering (LH): 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2
Fingering (RH): 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3
Minor Scales overview
A: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
A#/Bb: A#, B#, C#, D#, E# (F), F#, G#, A# / Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb
B: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B
C: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C
C#/Db: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C# / Db, Eb, Fb (E), Gb, Ab, Bbb (A), Cb (B), Db
D: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D
D#/Eb: D#, E# (F), F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D# / Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Db, Eb
E: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
F: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F# / Gb, Ab, Bbb (A), Cb (B), Db, Ebb (D), Fb (E), Gb
G: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G# / Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Db, Eb, Fb (E), Gb, Ab
* Concerning the use of B#, Bbb, Cb, Ebb, Fb and E#. This is theoretically correct since it is preferable to avoid the same letter twice. Still, these names are not used adjacent to the diagrams to avoid confusions.
Fingering: 1 = Thumb | 2 = index finger | 3 = middle finger | 4 = ring finger | 5 = little finger.
LH = Left hand | RH = Right hand
Intervals and steps
Intervals: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7
Semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2
Formula: Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole
Minor scales with note letters (sheet music PDF)
The Minor scales in musical notation are available in the member area.
The scale in all keys with fingerings (without note names) can be downloaded as PDF-files.
The Minor scales in graphic compilation are available in the member area.
A collection of all Natural Minor scale charts can be downloaded as a PDF-file.
Relative keys – Major and Minor
Relative keys have, as said above, the same notes and can be found for all major and natural minor scales. G Major is relative with E Minor, F Major is relative to D Minor; here are all relative keys listed:
- Cb - Abm
- Gb - Ebm
- Db - Bbm
- Ab - Fm
- Eb - Cm
- Bb - Gm
- F - Dm
- C - Am
- G - Em
- D - Bm
- A - F#m
- E - C#m
- B - G#m
- F# - D#m
- C# - A#m
You don't need to memorize all relative keys, if you want to know the relative minor just go to the sixth degree in the major scale or, the other way around, to the third degree in the minor scale to identify the relative major.
Although the notes are the same, there is a difference between two relative keys: the tonic (first tone in the scale) is different and this leads to different sounds. If you play in the A Minor you will get a gloomier and kind of melancholy sound compared to C Major.
See also harmonizing minor scales into chords.
Backing tracks
Backing tracks for minor scales presented by Pianoscales.org. You can play piano to these tracks by using the Minor scales.
Track list (selection)
A Minor Americana
Show scale
B Minor Folk Roots
Show scale
E Minor Dance Rock
Show scale
All tracks plus chord details are available for members. Become a member.