B♭ major scale on guitar
The B♭ major scale has seven notes: B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G and A (1 2 3 4 5 6 7). The do-re-mi scale that every other scale is measured against. Bright and settled; it fits major and maj7 chords, and the other six modes are this scale started from a different note.
| Note | B♭ | C | D | E♭ | F | G | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | whole | half |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the B♭ major scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; B♭ (B♭) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (B♭) | B♭home | B♭maj7home |
| 2 (C) | Cmrestless | Cm7restless |
| 3 (D) | Dmhalf-light | Dm7half-light |
| 4 (E♭) | E♭the door | E♭maj7the door |
| 5 (F) | Fthe pull | F7the pull |
| 6 (G) | Gmthe shadow | Gm7the shadow |
| 7 (A) | Adimthe edge | Am7♭5the edge |
Scales with the same notes
Its relative minor is the G minor scale: the same notes, started from G.
The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of B♭ major.
Questions
What notes are in the B♭ major scale?
B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G and A. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, and the steps between its notes are W W H W W W H (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the B♭ major scale?
The chords made only of its notes: B♭, Cm, Dm, E♭, F, Gm and Adim, and as seventh chords B♭maj7, Cm7, Dm7, E♭maj7, F7, Gm7 and Am7♭5. B♭ is home: B♭ is the chord it sounds most settled over.
What is the relative minor of the B♭ major scale?
The G minor scale, which has the same notes started from G.
The major scale in every key
Other scales in B♭
B♭ minorB♭ minor pentatonicB♭ major pentatonicB♭ bluesB♭ DorianB♭ MixolydianB♭ LydianB♭ PhrygianB♭ harmonic minorB♭ melodic minorB♭ Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.