B flat minor pentatonic scale on ukulele
The B flat minor pentatonic scale has 5 notes: B♭ D♭ E♭ F A♭ (B flat, D flat, E flat, F, and A flat).
- B♭ B flat 1
- D♭ D flat ♭3
- E♭ E flat 4
- F 5
- A♭ A flat ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (B♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Box 2 (frets 1 to 4), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 1 (D♭), 3 (E♭)
- string 2: 1 (F), 4 (A♭)
- string 4: 3 (B♭)
- string 1: 4 (D♭)
Box 3 (frets 3 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 3 (E♭), 5 (F)
- string 2: 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭)
- string 4: 6 (D♭)
- string 1: 6 (E♭)
Box 4 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 5 (F), 8 (A♭)
- string 2: 6 (B♭), 9 (D♭)
- string 4: 8 (E♭)
- string 1: 8 (F)
Box 5 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 8 (A♭), 10 (B♭)
- string 2: 9 (D♭), 11 (E♭)
- string 4: 10 (F)
- string 1: 11 (A♭)
Box 1 (frets 10 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 10 (B♭), 13 (D♭)
- string 2: 11 (E♭), 13 (F)
- string 4: 13 (A♭)
- string 1: 13 (B♭)
Fretboard positions
On the neck, the scale splits into boxes of 2 notes per string. Box 1 starts on the root (B flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the next notes and chain together up the neck.
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♭
- 1½W
- D♭
- W
- E♭
- W
- F
- 1½W
- A♭
- W
- B♭
Degrees: 1 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭7. Steps: 1½W – W – W – 1½W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the minor pentatonic scale
The most used scale in rock and blues solos. Five notes, easy to memorise on the neck.
Scales with the same notes
Relative major: D flat major pentatonic 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)
Minor pentatonic in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B flat minor pentatonic scale?
The notes of the B flat minor pentatonic scale are B flat, D flat, E flat, F, and A flat. The root, degree 1, is B flat.
What is the formula of the B flat minor pentatonic scale?
In degrees: 1 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: 1½W – W – W – 1½W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the B flat minor pentatonic scale on ukulele?
On the neck, the scale splits into boxes of 2 notes per string. Box 1 starts on the root (B flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the next notes and chain together up the neck. There are 5 boxes on ukulele, each with the full fingering.