B flat natural minor scale on cavaquinho
The B flat natural minor scale has 7 notes: B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ (B flat, C, D flat, E flat, F, G flat, and A flat).
- B♭ B flat 1
- C 2
- D♭ D flat ♭3
- E♭ E flat 4
- F 5
- G♭ G flat ♭6
- A♭ A flat ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (B♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 5 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (F), 4 (G♭), 6 (A♭)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 5 (C), 6 (D♭)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
- string 1: 6 (A♭)
Position 6 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (G♭), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
- string 3: 5 (C), 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
- string 1: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
Position 7 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 3: 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
- string 2: 7 (G♭), 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
Position 1 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 11 (G♭)
- string 2: 9 (A♭), 11 (B♭)
- string 1: 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
Position 2 (frets 10 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (C), 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 10 (F), 11 (G♭), 13 (A♭)
- string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C), 14 (D♭)
- string 1: 13 (E♭)
Position 3 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
- string 3: 11 (G♭), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
- string 2: 13 (C), 14 (D♭)
- string 1: 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
Position 4 (frets 13 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (E♭), 15 (F), 16 (G♭)
- string 3: 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭), 17 (C)
- string 2: 14 (D♭), 16 (E♭)
- string 1: 15 (F), 16 (G♭)
Fretboard positions
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (B flat).
On the cavaquinho the strings sit close together in pitch, and the 3-notes-per-string shape from the guitar would turn into a 7-fret stretch. That is why each position here fits within 5 frets.
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- B♭
- W
- C
- H
- D♭
- W
- E♭
- W
- F
- H
- G♭
- W
- A♭
- W
- B♭
Degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7. Steps: W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the natural minor scale
The "pure" minor scale (Aeolian mode). Sad or introspective; it is the relative of the major scale a minor third above.
Harmonized scale (chords in the key)
The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.
Scales with the same notes
Relative major: D flat major scale . Same notes, different center.
More B flat scales
- Major
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian (A♯)
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Natural minor in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B flat natural minor scale?
The notes of the B flat natural minor scale are B flat, C, D flat, E flat, F, G flat, and A flat. The root, degree 1, is B flat.
What is the formula of the B flat natural minor scale?
In degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the B flat natural minor scale on cavaquinho?
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (B flat). There are 7 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.
Which chords belong to the B flat natural minor scale?
The chords of the harmonized scale are: B♭m, C°, D♭, E♭m, Fm, G♭, A♭.