Scale Guide: How to Play B Flat Major on Piano

Musicnotes

• 6 min read
Scale Guide: How to Play B Flat Major on Piano

The piano is one of the most challenging instruments to master but also one of the most rewarding to learn. 

Unlike other instruments, you must learn notes and translate them into keys using both hands, which isn't a simple feat.

To reach your potential, you must attempt to master the piano's major and minor scales, which will help you understand its signatures and chords.

To become a confident pianist, you must conquer the B♭ major scale, one of the most used keys in music. Continue reading to learn how to play B flat major on piano.

Explore our piano sheet music to start practicing.

Key Takeaways:

  • Separately practice the B flat major piano scale on your right and left hands
  • Practice slowly and carefully before playing at speed
  • Develop an understanding of chord progressions
  • Adopt the correct hand positioning and posture
  • Play regularly with other musicians
  • Record yourself to pinpoint areas for improvement

What You Will Learn in This Guide

As mentioned, the piano is one of the most challenging instruments you can play. Like mastering the violin, it demands complicated hand coordination, correct finger placement, and a superb understanding of scales.

The B flat major scale requires unique fingering to play it on a piano. Unlike other majors, it only features two black notes, and their locations will require you to adapt from basic scale fingering to finger patterns.

In this guide, you will learn the Bb scale and become familiar with the correct finger positions for the right and left hand and the B flat major's key signature. Plus, you will learn more about the Bb major chord and what to practice to master the scale.

The Notes of the Bb Major Scale

The B flat major scale will start and end on Bb. As mentioned, it has two flats in its key signature: Bb and Eb. 

The B flat major piano scale notes are Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

The Left- and Right-Hand Piano Finger Positions

When mastering the B flat major piano scale, it is best to learn the finger positions for the right and left hand separately, as they are each unique. Once you have mastered each hand's fingering, you can rely on muscle memory to play with both hands.

Follow this right-hand finger positions for Bb major scale: 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4

For instance, you must begin with the second finger on your right hand to start with B flat. Next, immediately place your thumb underneath to hit C before using your second finger to hit D, and then use your third finger to strike E flat. Finally, cross over your thumb to hit F and finish the scale using your fourth finger to touch B flat.

The left-hand fingering for B flat major piano scale will follow this unique pattern: 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2

Start by using your third finger on B flat before hitting D with your thumb, and then cross to E flat with your fourth finger. Once your thumb touches A, cross to B flat with your second finger. Next, hit the A key with your thumb before working down the scale using the same fingering pattern.

Take Your Time When Practicing

It may take time to master the right- and left-hand fingering. You are likely ready to play with both hands when you can play them individually without stopping to think about your fingers or the notes.

You might sometimes stumble on the keys despite being confident when playing with both hands. For this reason, we recommend playing slowly and one note at a time, gradually going up.

Next, concentrate on finger positioning as you go back down, especially once you reach the turnaround. You can start playing faster if you have stopped checking your fingers and can scale evenly.

Frustration will likely strike during practice, but be patient and remember that practice makes perfect. It might seem tricky now, but it will become easier with time, effort, and perseverance.

The B Flat Major's Key Signature

If a scale has two flats, the key will too. Bb major has two flats: Bb and Eb. It might help to remember that the first four flats form the word BEAD, and the first two letters of this word are in this key signature.

B Flat Major's Relative Minor

G minor is the relative minor of Bb major. The two share the same key signature with two flats: Bb and Eb.

Start on the sixth note of the major scale to find the relative minor scale, which is this time G. 

The resulting scale includes the following notes: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, and G. As the major and minor scales have the same notes, it is common for composers to change or adjust the keys between them.

The Chords for the B-Flat Major Scale

The following chords will build on the notes of the B-flat major scale:

  • B Flat Major (Chord I) Notes: Bb – D – F
  • C Minor (Chord II) Notes: C – Eb – G
  • D Minor (Chord III) Notes: D – F – A
  • E Flat Major (Chord IV) Notes: Eb – G – Bb
  • F Major (Chord V) Notes: F – A – C
  • G Minor (Chord VI) Notes: G – Bb – D
  • A Diminished (Chord VII) Notes: A – C – Eb

You can only choose these diatonic chords for the B flat major scale notes. However, you can use other notes from the scale of the above triads to play more complex chords, which could form seventh and ninth chords, and so on.

The above chords are essential to master, as they are the foundation for most songs in the key of B flat major. 

Consider Chord Progressions

To master the art of the piano, you must develop a strong understanding of chord progressions. Trying various progressions will help you learn more about the relationship between the chords, and you'll discover the best ones for your music. The more you experiment, the more you'll understand how they should sound in B Flat major.

Improve Your Posture and Positioning

The correct hand positioning and posture will help you play B flat major well while avoiding injury. Keep your elbows and wrists loose at the piano, relax your shoulders, and sit up straight, ensuring you're positioned correctly each time you sit.

Curve your fingers when playing and adopt the correct thumb position on the piano. If you're unsure if you're sitting correctly, play scales, chord progressions, and arpeggios to ensure you have adopted the correct posture and positioning.

Get Together with Other Musicians

Rather than spending your days practicing alone, get together with other musicians to play music in B Flat major on the piano. Playing with others will improve your skills, and you might even pick up some helpful techniques.

If you don't know any musicians, consider joining a local ensemble or band. It will allow you to play music with like-minded people while strengthening your skills and confidence.

Record Yourself

You may find it helpful to record yourself when mastering the B flat major piano scale. Listening to the recordings could help identify areas for improvement, such as your intonation or timing. If you regularly jam with other musicians, ask them for feedback or advice on the recordings.

Recording your piano practice is a great way to track your progress, as you can identify improvements. It's a great way to boost your confidence while playing piano.

Listen and Play to Popular Songs Composed in Bb

Many of the biggest pop, rock, jazz, and classical songs are played on the piano in the key of Bb major.

For example, the first section of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" is played in the key, as is Elton John's "Rocket Man."

Also, Bb major helped create one of the most significant movie scores in history, as it helped define Star Wars' main theme.

Various world-famous classical pieces are composed in Bb, including Richard Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" from Lohengrin, which some may know as "Here Comes the Bride."

Also, "Fanfare by the Common Man" by Aaron Copland and "Ava Maria" by Franz Schubert use the Bb major scale.

If you are a jazz fan, you might know that Bb major is one of the most commonly used keys in the genre. Most jazz instruments, from the trumpet to the saxophone, tend to be tuned to Bb, as it is easier for a musician to pick it up and start playing.

For instance, George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" and Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" use the B Major scale.

It may help to listen to songs that use B flat major and play along with the recording in the same key. The more you practice, the more you'll understand that key's signature sound and rhythms.