Piano Minor Scales

Contrary to the major scale there are not one but three minor scales and
we shall look at each. The three groups of minor scales are:

The natural minor

The melodic

The harmonic

The natural minor scale is often referred to as the minor scale. This scale can
sometimes confuse people because it is in a way identical to the major scale. The A
minor scales includes exactly the same notes as the C major scale which makes
them relative keys (read more about this further down the page).

Natural Minor Scales

Here are pictures and notes of scales.
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

D Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

D,
(LH):

E,

F,
5,

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

4,

G,
3,

A,
2,

Bb,
1,

C,
3,

2,

D
1

E Minor

Notes:

E,

Fingerings

F#,
(LH):

5,

G,
4,

A,
3,

B,
2,

C,
1,

D,
3,

2,

E
1

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

F Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

F,

G,
(LH):

Ab,
5,

4,

Bb,
3,

C,
2,

Db,
1,

Eb,
3,

2,

F
1

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

G Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

G,

A,

(LH):

Bb,
5,

4,

C,
3,

D,
2,

Eb,
1,

F,
3,

G
2,

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

A Minor

Notes:

A,

B,

C,

D,

E,

F,

G,

Fingerings

(LH):

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

3,

2,

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

B Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

B,

C#,
(LH):

4,

D,
3,

E,
2,

F#,
1,

G,
4,

A,
3,

2,

B
1

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

C# / Db Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

C#,

D#,

(LH):

3,

E,
2,

F#,
1,

G#,
4,

A,
3,

B,
2,

C#
1,

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

D# / Eb Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

D#,
(LH):

F,

F#,
2,

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

F# / Gb Minor

1,

G#,
4,

A#,
3,

B,
2,

C#,
1,

D#
3,

Notes:

F#,

Fingerings

G#,

(LH):

4,

A,
3,

B,
2,

C#,
1,

D,
3,

E,
2,

F#
1,

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

G# /Ab Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

G#,

A#,

(LH):

3,

B,
2,

C#,
1,

D#,
3,

E,
2,

F#,
1,

G#
3,

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

A# / Bb Minor

Notes:
Fingerings

A#,
(LH):

C,

C#,
2,

1,

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

Minor Scales overview

A: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
A#/Bb: A#, C, C#, D#, F, F#, G#, A#
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#
D: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D
D#/Eb: D#, F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#
E: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E

D#,
3,

F,
2,

F#,
1,

G#,
4,

A#
3,

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

F#/Gb: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#
G: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#
Fingerings: 1 = Thumb | 2 = index finger | 3 = middle finger | 4 = ring
finger | 5 = little finger.
LH = Left hand | RH = Right hand
Intervals and steps
Interval: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7
Semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2
Formula: Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole
Relative keys - major and minor
Relative keys have, as told above, the same notes and it can be found for all
major and natural minor scales. G major is relative with E minor, F major is
relative to D minor; see all relative keys below:

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.
Although the notes are the same there is a difference between two relative
keys: the tonic (first tone in the scale) is not the same and this leads to
different sounds. If you play in the A minor you will get a more gloomy and
kind of melancholy sound comparing to C major.

Melodic Minor Scales

The melodic scale differs from the natural minor scale due the sixth and seventh notes are
raised a semi-step, and therefore, no longer play as in the major scale. This scale is also
some kind of a peculiar since it is played different ascending and descending.

When you go up the scale you are using the melodic minor scale but when you move down the scale
you are using thenatural minor scale. For the melodic scale in A it will look like this:
Ascending: A, B, C, D, E, F#, G#, A
Descending: A, G, F, E, D, C, B, A

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

A# / Bb

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

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

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

C# / Db

Notes: C#, Eb, E, F#, G#, A#, C, C#

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

D# / Eb

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

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

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

F# / Gb

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

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

G# / Ab

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

Melodic Minor Scales overview

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

Intervals and steps

Interval: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Semi-notes : 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1
Formula: Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Harmonic Minor Scales

The harmonic minor scale is one of three minor scales. The other two are the natural
minor and the melodic minor. The sound of the harmonic scale is characterized by the music
of

the

Middle

East.

The harmonic minor differs from the natural minor with a flattened seventh note and, therefore, this
minor scale is not played in the same way as the relative major scale.

Notes:
Fingerings

A,

B,

(LH):

C,
5,

D,

4,

3,

E,
2,

F,
1,

G#,
3,

2,

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

A# / Bb

Notes:
Fingerings

A#,

C,

(LH):

C#,
2,

Eb,

1,

3,

F,
2,

F#,
1,

A,
4,

A#
3,

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

Notes:

B,

Fingerings

(LH):

C#,
4,

E,
3,

F#,
2,

G,

1,

A#,

4,

3,

B
2,

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

Notes:

C,

D,

Eb,

F,

G,

Ab,

B,

Fingerings

(LH):

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

3,

2,

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

C# / Db

Notes:
Fingerings

C#,

Eb,

(LH):

E,

3,

2,

F#,
1,

G#,
4,

A,
3,

C,

C#

2,

1,

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

Notes:
Fingerings

D,

E,

(LH):

F,
5,

G,

4,

3,

A,
2,

Bb,
1,

C#,
3,

2,

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

D# / Eb

Notes:
Fingerings

Eb,
(LH):

F,

F#,
2,

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

1,

G#,
4,

A#,
3,

B,
2,

D,
1,

Eb
3,

Notes:
Fingerings

(LH):

5,

4,

E,

3,

F#,

2,

G,

A,

1,

B,

C,

D#,

3,

2,

E
1

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

Notes:
Fingerings

(LH):

5,

4,

3,

F,

G,

2,

Ab,

Bb,

1,

C,
3,

Db,

E,

2,

F
1

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

F# / Gb

Notes:
Fingerings

(LH):

4,

3,

2,

F#,

G#,

1,

A,

B,

3,

C#,

D,

2,

F,

1,

F#
4

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

Notes:
Fingerings

(LH):

5,

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

G# / Ab

4,

3,

G,
2,

A,

Bb,
1,

C,

D,
3,

Eb,

F#,
2,

G
1

Notes:
Fingerings

(LH):

3,

2,

1,

G#,
3,

A#,

B,
2,

C#,

Eb,
1,

E,

G,
3,

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

Harmonic Minor Scales overview

A: A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A
A#/Bb: A#, C, C#, Eb, F, F#, A, A#
B: B, C#, E, F#, G, A#, B
C: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B, C
C#/Db: C#, Eb, E, F#, G#, A, C, C#
D: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D
D#/Eb: D#, F, F#, G#, A#, B, D, D#
E: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#, E
F: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, E, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, F, F#
G: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F#, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, B, C#, Eb, E, G, G#
Fingerings: 1 = Thumb | 2 = index finger | 3 = middle finger | 4 = ring finger | 5 = little finger.
LH = Left hand | RH = Right hand

Intervals and steps

Interval: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7
Semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 3 - 1
Formula: Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole and a half, Half

G#
2