Key guide
B minor: scale, key signature and chords
B minor has two sharps (F♯, C♯). Its scale is B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- F♯ C♯ — two sharps
- Scale notes
- B C♯ D E F♯ G A
- Relative major
- D major
- Parallel major
- B major
- Dominant key
- F♯ minor
- Subdominant key
- E minor
- On the piano
- 2 black keys and 5 white in the scale
The B minor scale
The B minor scale uses the notes B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A, the natural minor pattern of whole and half steps (W–H–W–W–H–W–W) starting on B. Each letter name appears once, which is why the accidentals are written as F♯, C♯ rather than as their enharmonic equivalents.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | tonic |
| 2 | C♯ | supertonic |
| 3 | D | mediant |
| 4 | E | subdominant |
| 5 | F♯ | dominant |
| 6 | G | submediant |
| 7 | A | subtonic |
Harmonic and melodic minor in B minor
The natural minor scale above is the form the key signature gives you. Composers alter it to get a stronger pull to the tonic: the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree (B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A♯), and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up (B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A♯). A × means a double sharp.
Chords in B minor
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives seven diatonic triads and seven seventh chords. The Roman numeral gives each chord’s position; the role column says what it usually does in a phrase.
| Chord | Triad | Seventh | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | B D F♯ | B D F♯ A | tonic |
| ii° | C♯ E G | C♯ E G B | predominant |
| III | D F♯ A | D F♯ A C♯ | tonic substitute |
| iv | E G B | E G B D | predominant |
| v | F♯ A C♯ | F♯ A C♯ E | dominant |
| VI | G B D | G B D F♯ | tonic substitute |
| VII | A C♯ E | A C♯ E G | dominant |
In a minor key the v chord from the natural scale is usually replaced in cadences by a major V built with the raised seventh: F♯ A♯ C♯.
Chord progressions in B minor
Four progressions worked out in B minor, each one playable:
- i – VI – III – VII Bm – G – D – AA rising-and-falling minor loop that stays inside the natural minor scale.
- i – iv – V – i Bm – Em – F♯ – BmThe minor cadence: the V is major, borrowing the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.
- ii° – V – i C♯° – F♯ – BmThe minor ii–V–i: a diminished predominant resolving to the tonic.
- i – VII – VI – V Bm – A – G – F♯The descending “Andalusian” line, ending on the major dominant.
Keys related to B minor
- Relative major: D major — same key signature, different home note.
- Dominant: F♯ minor — one step clockwise on the circle of fifths; the key most pieces in B minor modulate to.
- Subdominant: E minor — one step counter-clockwise, adding one flat (or removing one sharp).
- Parallel major: B major — same tonic, opposite mode.
Questions
What are the notes in B minor?
The B minor scale is B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A. That is the natural minor form; the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree, and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up.
How many sharps or flats are in B minor?
B minor has two sharps: F♯, C♯.
What is the relative major of B minor?
The relative major of B minor is D major. The two keys share a key signature and the same seven notes, but B is the home note of the minor key.
What chords are in B minor?
The seven diatonic triads in B minor are Bm, C♯°, D, Em, F♯m, G, A. In practice the V chord is usually played as F♯, using the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.