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  4. Ch.8.18 The B flat minor scale

8.18 The B flat minor scale

 

Category: Harmony | Tags: Minor scales, Ear training: scales

Theory

In this chapter, you’ll learn how you can make the B flat minor scale by applying the sequence: whole - half - whole - whole - half - whole - whole, starting from B flat. You’ll also learn how to make the harmonic and melodic B flat minor scale. In the videos, I show how to play the B flat minor scale on the piano. In the ear training exercise, you’ll learn how to recognize an wrongly played note in the F sharp and G flat major scales and the B flat minor scale.

1. The structure of the B flat minor scale

Every minor scale consists of the following sequence: whole - half - whole - whole - half - whole - whole. When you apply this sequence starting from B flat, you get the tones Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb.

 

Video

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Examples

Which tones will you get if you construct a minor scale, starting from B flat?

note example

piano example

 

The B flat minor scale is comprised of the notes: Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb.
The B flat minor scale has five flats: B flat, E flat, A flat, D flat and G flat.
This scale is also called the natural B flat minor scale.

2. The B flat minor scale played on the piano

The B flat minor scale ascending and descending, played by the right hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the B flat minor scale played with the right hand.

note example

The B flat minor scale ascending and descending, played by the left hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the B flat minor scale played with the left hand.

note example

3. The structure of the harmonic B flat minor scale

In the harmonic minor scale, the seventh note is raised. When you apply this to the B flat minor scale, you get the tones Bb C Db Eb F Gb A Bb.

 

Video

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Examples

In the harmonic B flat minor scale, Ab, the seventh note, is raised to become an A.

note example

piano example

4. The harmonic B flat minor scale played on the piano

The harmonic B flat minor scale ascending and descending, played by the right hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the harmonic B flat minor scale played with the right hand.

note example

The harmonic B flat minor scale ascending and descending, played by the left hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the harmonic B flat minor scale played with the left hand.

note example

5. The structure of the melodic B flat minor scale

In the melodic minor scale, the sixth and the seventh notes are both raised. When you apply this to the B flat minor scale, you get the tones Bb C Db Eb F G A Bb.

 

Video

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Examples

In the melodic B flat minor scale, Gb and Ab, the sixth and the seventh notes, are both raised and become G and A.
Descending, the sixth and seventh tones of the melodic B flat minor scale are often not raised, but played as the natural B flat minor scale.

note example

piano example

6. The melodic B flat minor scale played on the piano

The melodic B flat minor scale ascending, played by the right hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the melodic B flat minor scale played with the right hand.

note example

The melodic B flat minor scale ascending, played by the left hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the melodic B flat minor scale played with the left hand.

note example

7. Ear training

 

Practise

Ear Training exercise 8c: being able to hear a wrongly played note in the F sharp and G flat major scales and the B flat minor scale.

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Example question

In the next scale a wrong note is played:

Which note is played incorrectly?

No image!

 

Practical steps

The notated scale is the F sharp major scale. Sing the scale being played to train your inner hearing abilties. Listen to how this scale differs from the major scale.

Answer: the wrong note being played is the first note, the F#.