Piano Minor Scales

Contrary to the Major Scale, there are not one but three Minor scales, which all will be presented here. The three groups of Minor scales are:

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

Fingerings (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1

Fingerings (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 A# / Bb Minor

Notes: A#, C, C#, D#, F, F#, G#, A#

Fingerings (LH): 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2

Fingerings (RH): 2, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4

B Minor

Notes: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B

Fingerings (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1

Fingerings (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 C Minor

Notes: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C

Fingerings (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1

Fingerings (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

C# / Db Minor

Notes: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#

Fingerings (LH): 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3

Fingerings (RH): 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 D Minor

Notes: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D

Fingerings (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1

Fingerings (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

D# / Eb Minor

Notes: D#, F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#

Fingerings (LH): 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2

Fingerings (RH): 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3 E Minor

Notes: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E

Fingerings (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1

Fingerings (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

F Minor

Notes: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F

Fingerings (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1

Fingerings (RH): 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 F# / Gb Minor

Notes: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#

Fingerings (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 4

Fingerings (RH): 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3

G Minor

Notes: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G

Fingerings (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1

Fingerings (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 G# / Ab Minor

Notes: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#

Fingerings (LH): 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2

Fingerings (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#, 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, Gb, Ab, A, B, Db

D: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D

D#/Eb: D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D# / Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, 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, Cb, Db, Ebb, Fb, Gb

G: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G

G#/Ab: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G# / Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, 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.



Fingerings: 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

The Minor scales in musical notes are available in the member area.

The scale in all keys can be downloaded as a PDF-file.

The Minor scales as graphic charts are available in the member area.

A collection of all Natural Minor scales can be downloaded as a PDF-file.

Relative keys – Major and Minor

Relative keys have, as said above, the same notes and they 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 know 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.