B flat Major Scale

1Composition: what it contains

B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G – A

Formula

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Steps

W – W – H – W – W – W – H

Number of notes

7

Sharps and flats

2 ♭

Also called

Ionian mode, diatonic major scale

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

Tip: click any note, key or fret to hear it. Orange = root.

3Indications: what it is used for

The foundation of pop, rock, country, folk, classical and most children's songs. Play it over major-key progressions such as I–IV–V, I–V–vi–IV and I–vi–ii–V, and over a major or major seventh chord on the tonic. Every other scale and mode is usually described as an alteration of this one, and chords, key signatures and interval names are all measured against it. Use it for melodies, harmony lines in thirds or sixths, bass lines that walk diatonically, and as the parent scale for the seven modes.

4Dosage: how to practise it

Ten minutes a day. Start at 60 BPM in quarter notes, two octaves up and down, then move to eighth notes and raise the metronome by 4 BPM once it feels clean. Practise sequences: groups of three (1-2-3, 2-3-4...), groups of four, and diatonic thirds (1-3, 2-4, 3-5...). On guitar, learn it in five CAGED positions or the three-notes-per-string system and connect them along the neck. On piano, use the standard fingering with the thumb passing under after the third or fourth finger, hands separately first, then together in parallel octaves.

5Warnings and common mistakes

Do not confuse the scale with its key signature: the scale is the order of notes, the key is the tonal centre. Beginners often rush the half steps and play a flat or sharp in the wrong place when changing roots, so spell the scale by its formula (whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half). The fourth degree clashes with the major third of the tonic chord when held over it, so treat it as a passing note on strong beats. Starting the same notes from the sixth degree gives the relative minor, not a new major scale.

6Interactions with chords, scales and keys

Chords of the scale (triads)

Chords of the scale (seventh chords)

Same notes, different starting point

• G Natural Minor Scale
• C Dorian Mode
• D Phrygian Mode
• E flat Lydian Mode
• F Mixolydian Mode
• A Locrian Mode

Key of B flat Major

7Other presentations available

The same scale from every note

• C Major Scale
• D flat Major Scale
• D Major Scale
• E flat Major Scale
• E Major Scale
• F Major Scale
• F sharp Major Scale
• G Major Scale
• A flat Major Scale
• A Major Scale
• B Major Scale

Other scales from the same note

• B flat Natural Minor Scale
• B flat Harmonic Minor Scale
• B flat Melodic Minor Scale
• B flat Dorian Mode
• B flat Phrygian Mode
• B flat Lydian Mode
• B flat Mixolydian Mode
• A sharp Locrian Mode
• B flat Major Pentatonic Scale
• B flat Minor Pentatonic Scale
• B flat Blues Scale
• B flat Major Blues Scale
• B flat Whole Tone Scale
• B flat Half-Whole Diminished Scale
• B flat Whole-Half Diminished Scale
• B flat Phrygian Dominant Scale
• B flat Hungarian Minor Scale
• B flat Lydian Dominant Scale
• A sharp Altered Scale
• B flat Double Harmonic Major Scale
• B flat Bebop Dominant Scale