What is a Minor Scale? Minor Scales List with Images

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:

Scales and Chords – List

List of Major Scales

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

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

3. D Minor Scale:
D – E + F – G – A + Bb – C – D

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

5. E Minor Scale:
E – F# + G – A – B + C – D – E

6. F Minor Scale:
F – G + Ab – Bb – C + Db – Eb – F

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

8. G Minor Scale:
G – A + Bb – C – D + Eb – F – G

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

10. A Minor Scale:
A – B + C – D – E + F – G – A

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

12. B Minor Scale:
B – C# + D – E – F# + G – A – B

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

What is a Minor Scale? Minor Scales List with Images

List of Natural Minor Scales

Minor scale tips

1. Minor Scales of all 12 Keys

2. Minor Scales of White Keys

2. Minor Scales of Black Keys

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