G minor scale

The G minor scale is G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F, with two flats. From G, the steps go whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole.

  1. G1
  2. whole
  3. A2
  4. half
  5. B♭3
  6. whole
  7. C4
  8. whole
  9. D5
  10. half
  11. E♭6
  12. whole
  13. F7
  14. whole
  15. G8
G1A2C1D2F4G5B♭3E♭3

G minor on the staff, piano and guitar

On the staff

♭♭GAB♭CDE♭FG♭♭GAB♭CDE♭FG

On piano

Right hand 1 2 3, then the thumb passes under to C: 1 2 3 4 5.

G5A4C2D1F2G1B♭3E♭3

Left hand 5 4 3 2 1, then finger 3 crosses over to E♭: 3 2 1.

Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.

On guitar

23456EBGDAEGAB♭CDE♭FGAB♭CDE♭FGAB♭

Every note of G minor between the 2nd and 6th fret. The root, G, has a heavy ring.

How to play the G minor scale on piano

  1. Find G, the white key between the first and second of a group of three black keys.
  2. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to A.
  3. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to B♭, a black key.
  4. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to C.
  5. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to D.
  6. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to E♭, a black key.
  7. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to F.
  8. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to G, an octave above where you started.

Practice the G minor scale

Play the G minor scale one note a beat, up and back down: G A B♭ C D E♭ F G F E♭ D C B♭ A G. Hands separately first. Start at 60 beats a minute and move up toward 100 once every note lands on the beat.

G
  1. G
  2. A
  3. B♭
  4. C
  5. D
  6. E♭
  7. F
  8. G
  9. F
  10. E♭
  11. D
  12. C
  13. B♭
  14. A
  15. G

The key of G minor

Follow the minor pattern from G and two notes need a flat: B♭ and E♭. Those two flats are the key signature, the same as B♭ major, its relative major.

Relative major
B♭ major
Parallel major
G major
Neighbors on the circle of fifths
C minor and D minor
♭♭CAmGEmDBmAF♯mEC♯mBC♭G♯mA♭mF♯G♭D♯mE♭mD♭C♯B♭mA♯mA♭FmE♭VICmivB♭IIIGmiFVIIDmvG minor
G minor on the circle of fifths, with the chords of its key marked.

The name of each note in the key

  1. 1Gtonic
  2. 2Asupertonic
  3. 3B♭mediant
  4. 4Csubdominant
  5. 5Ddominant
  6. 6E♭submediant
  7. 7Fsubtonic

Chords in G minor

Build a chord on each note of the scale, using only the scale's notes, and you get the seven chords of the key. The numeral is the chord's place in the key: capitals for major, small letters for minor.

  1. iGm
  2. ii°Adim
  3. IIIB♭
  4. ivCm
  5. vDm
  6. VIE♭
  7. VIIF

G harmonic and melodic minor

Harmonic minor

G harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, F to F♯, so the scale leads back to G.

♭♭GAB♭CDE♭♯F♯G

Melodic minor

G melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th notes going up, E♭ to E♮ and F to F♯, and comes back down as the natural minor.

♭♭GAB♭CD♮E♯F♯G♮F♭E♭DCB♭AG

Modes on the same notes

Start the B♭ major scale on another of its notes and you get a mode, with the same key signature: B♭ ionian, C dorian, D phrygian, E♭ lydian, F mixolydian, G aeolian, A locrian.

Practice notes for the G minor scale

G minor has two flats, B♭ and E♭: G A B♭ C D E♭ F G. It is the relative minor of B♭ major. The right hand uses the standard fingering, thumb under to C, with both black keys under finger 3.

Where it goes wrong. The 7th note. In the natural form it is F, a whole step below G. In harmonic minor it is F♯, and in melodic minor going up it is F♯ with E natural before it. Because F♯ is not in the key signature, it has to be written in each time, and it is easy to miss when reading.

How to practice it. Learn the upper half of each form as its own group with fingers 2 3 4 5 in the right hand: D E♭ F G, D E♭ F♯ G, and D E F♯ G. Then play the full scales, hands separately. In the left hand, fingers 5 4 3 2 1 from G, then 3 crosses over to E♭ and 2 plays F.

What to listen for. F♯ to G in the harmonic and melodic forms, the half step that pulls up to the keynote. Then E♭ to F♯ in harmonic minor, three half steps wide, the step that gives that form its sound.

What to learn next. B♭ major, with the same two flats, and D minor and C minor, one flat fewer and one flat more.

Questions

What are the notes of the G minor scale?

G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F, then G again an octave up.

What chords are in the key of G minor?

Gm, Adim, B♭, Cm, Dm, E♭ and F: i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI and VII.

Why does G minor have two flats?

Follow the minor pattern from G and two notes need a flat: B♭ and E♭. Those two flats are the key signature, the same as B♭ major, its relative major.

What is the relative major of G minor?

B♭ major. It uses the same notes and the same key signature, starting on B♭.

What is the G harmonic minor scale?

G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F♯. G harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, F to F♯, so the scale leads back to G.