Have you ever wondered why some piano pieces sound bright and cheerful, while others feel dark and dramatic? The secret lies in minor scales.
In this post, we’ll unravel the mystery of minor scales, learn how to build them, and explore their unique sound.
This post is your guide to understanding everything about minor scales, complete with helpful images to make learning even more enjoyable.
For other lists, such as a list of natural major scales, lists of major and minor chords with images, and lists of chords in minor and major scales, please click the link below:
Let’s dive into the world of minor scales and explore how they shape the emotional landscape of music.
List of Natural Minor Scales
Minor scales are given in three different ways.
- Minor Scales of all 12 Keys, i.e., C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, and B.
- Minor Scales of White Keys, i.e., C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.
- Minor Scales of Black Keys, i.e., C#, D#, F#, G#, and A#.
Minor scale tips
The formula to form a minor scale is:
RootNote – W + H – W – W + H – W – W (same root note but in higher scale)
“W” means the whole step, and “H” means the half step.
So, on this page, the whole step is indicated using the hyphen symbol (-), and the half step is mentioned using the plus sign (+).
For example: C – D + Eb – F.
C to D is a whole step, and
D to E is a half step.
Important: Enharmonic Equivalent Notes
Some scales, especially the scales of the black keys, contain notes with enharmonic equivalents. This means that the notes, such as E# and F, F## and G, have the same sound but differ in their writing. We have provided these enharmonic equivalent notes in parentheses to ensure spelling consistency.
1. Minor Scales of all 12 Keys
1. C Minor Scale:
C – D + Eb – F – G + Ab – Bb – C
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/c-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
2. C# / Db Minor Scale
C# Minor:
C# – D# + E – F# – G# + A – B – C#
Db Minor:
Db – Eb + Fb – Gb – Ab + Bbb (A)- Cb- Db
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/c-sharp-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
3. D Minor Scale:
D – E + F – G – A + Bb – C – D
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/d-minor-scale-12125.jpg)
4. D# / Eb Minor Scale
D# Minor:
D# – E# + F# – G# – A# + B – C# – D#
Eb Minor:
Eb- F + Gb – Ab – Bb + Cb – Db – Eb
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/d-sharp-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
5. E Minor Scale:
E – F# + G – A – B + C – D – E
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/e-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
6. F Minor Scale:
F – G + Ab – Bb – C + Db – Eb – F
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/f-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
7. F# / Gb Minor Scale
F# Minor:
F# – G# + A – B – C# + D – E – F#
Gb Minor:
Gb – Ab + Bbb – Cb – Db + Ebb – Fb – Gb
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/f-sharp-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
8. G Minor Scale:
G – A + Bb – C – D + Eb – F – G
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/g-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
9. G# / Ab Minor Scale
G# Minor:
G# – A# + B – C# – D# + E – F# – G#
Ab Minor:
Ab – Bb + Cb – Db – Eb + Fb – Gb – Ab
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/g-sharp-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
10. A Minor Scale:
A – B + C – D – E + F – G – A
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/a-minor-scale-12125.jpg)
11. A# / Bb Minor Scale
A# Minor:
A# – B# + C# – D# – E# + F# – G# – A#
Bb Minor:
Bb- C + Db – Eb – F + Gb – Ab – Bb
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/a-sharp-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
12. B Minor Scale:
B – C# + D – E – F# + G – A – B
![](https://www.synthesizernotes.com/wp-content/uploads/b-minor-scale-12124.jpg)
2. Minor Scales of White Keys
1. C Minor Scale:
C – D + Eb – F – G + Ab – Bb – C
2. D Minor Scale:
D – E + F – G – A + Bb – C – D
3. E Minor Scale:
E – F# + G – A – B + C – D – E
4. F Minor Scale:
F – G + Ab – Bb – C + Db – Eb – F
5. G Minor Scale:
G – A + Bb – C – D + Eb – F – G
6. A Minor Scale:
A – B + C – D – E + F – G – A
7. B Minor Scale:
B – C# + D – E – F# + G – A – B
2. Minor Scales of Black Keys
1. C# / Db Minor Scale
C# Minor:
C# – D# + E – F# – G# + A – B – C#
Db Minor:
Db – Eb + Fb – Gb – Ab + Bbb (A)- Cb- Db
2. D# / Eb Minor Scale
D# Minor:
D# – E# + F# – G# – A# + B – C# – D#
Eb Minor:
Eb- F + Gb – Ab – Bb + Cb – Db – Eb
3. F# / Gb Minor Scale
F# Minor:
F# – G# + A – B – C# + D – E – F#
Gb Minor:
Gb – Ab + Bbb – Cb – Db + Ebb – Fb – Gb
4. G# / Ab Minor Scale
G# Minor:
G# – A# + B – C# – D# + E – F# – G#
Ab Minor:
Ab – Bb + Cb – Db – Eb + Fb – Gb – Ab
5. A# / Bb Minor Scale
A# Minor:
A# – B# + C# – D# – E# + F# – G# – A#
Bb Minor:
Bb- C + Db – Eb – F + Gb – Ab – Bb
Piano Notes for Songs
- Faded - Alan Walker - Notes and Chords (Updated)
- A Million Dreams - The Greatest Showman (Easy - Updated)
- Everything I Do, I Do It for You - Bryan Adams
- A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay (Notes and Chords)
- Shape of You - Ed Sheeran (Melody and Chords)
- Diamonds - Rihanna
- Demons - Imagine Dragons
- Let It Be - The Beatles
- Believer - Imagine Dragons (Melody and Chords)
- The Winner Takes It All - ABBA
- My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion (Easy - Melody and Chords)
- The Scientist - Coldplay
- Let Her Go - Passenger
- Shallow - Lady Gaga - Bradley Cooper
- Alone - Alan Walker
- Perfect - Ed Sheeran
Easy Piano Songs For Beginners
- A Million Dreams - The Greatest Showman (Easy - Updated)
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- We Wish You A Merry Christmas
- Christmas Song: Jingle Bells
- A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay (Notes and Chords)
- Let It Be - The Beatles
- My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion (Easy - Melody and Chords)
- Yesterday - The Beatles (Easy for Beginners)
- Thunder - Imagine Dragons (Easy)
- The Scientist - Coldplay
- Birthday Song - Happy Birthday to You
- Imagine - John Lennon
- Wings - Birdy (Very Easy)
- Yellow - Coldplay (Easy)
- The Wheels on the Bus - Kids Song
- Take Me Home, Country Roads - John Denver (Easy)
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat - Song for Children
- What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
- Dame tu Cosita - El Chombo
- Baby Shark Song
Piano Notes
- Say Something - A Great Big World - Christina Aguilera
- Earth Song - Michael Jackson
- Viva La Vida - Coldplay
- A Thousand Years - Christina Perri - Slow and Easy
- All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
- You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift
- Yesterday - The Beatles (Easy for Beginners)
- Thunder - Imagine Dragons (Easy)
- Counting Stars - OneRepublic
- Easy on Me - Adele
- Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran
- Right Here Waiting for You - Richard Marx
- Rolling in the Deep - Adele
- All of Me - John Legend
- Let It Go - Idina Menzel - Frozen
- Merry Christmas - Ed Sheeran and Elton John
- Shake It Off - Taylor Swift (melody and chords)
- Treat You Better - Shawn Mendes
- Attention - Charlie Puth
- Paradise - Coldplay
- We Don't Talk Anymore - Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez
- River Flows In You - Yiruma - Notes and Chords
- In the End - Linkin Park
- Clocks - Coldplay
- Yellow - Coldplay (Easy)
- Something Just Like This - Coldplay - The Chainsmokers
- Darkside - Alan Walker
- Jingle Bell Rock - Christmas Song
- Halo - Beyonce - I Can Feel Your Halo
- O Christmas Tree - Christmas Song
- Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish
- As It Was - Harry Styles
- Bad Guy - Billie Eilish
- Closer ft. Halsey - The Chainsmokers
- You Are The Reason - Calum Scott
- Anti-Hero - Taylor Swift
- The Spectre - Alan Walker
- Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Christmas Song
- I Don’t Wanna Live Forever - Taylor Swift and Zayn
- Lovely - Billie Eilish
- Imagine - John Lennon
- Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
- Gravity Falls Theme
- Delicate - Taylor Swift
- Set Fire to the Rain - Adele
- Wake Me Up - Avicii
- Let Me Down Slowly - Alec Benjamin
- All Falls Down - Alan Walker
- Falling - Harry Styles
- Stay With Me - Sam Smith