Major and Minor Scales
“Chopin” Scales (Lesson 2/5)
The first scale Chopin assigned to his Simplify positioning by practicing the
students was B major because of black keys in clumps.
how the long fingers rest naturally on
the 5 black keys. He also favored B major: = clump
F♯/G♭ major and D♭ major for the
same reason. 2 3 2 3 4
To play multi-octave scales, use the 1 1
RH: (5)
principle of 5–1 Equivalence: instead
of “capping off” ascending scales
with your pinky, use your thumb to
3 2 4 3 2
continue. Vice-versa when
descending. LH: 4 1 1
4 3
5
2
Natural minor scales always borrow their
fingering from the parallel major. Shift the
1 long fingers to the white keys as needed.
See the next two pages for definitions and
explanations.
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Natural Minor Harmonic Minor
Natural minor scales contain the same The harmonic minor scale raises scale
notes as their relative major. degree 7 of the natural minor scale by
one half-step.
G♯ minor G♯ harmonic minor (RH):
3 4 2 3 2 3 4 3 4 2 3 3
1 1 (5) 1 1 2
B major
1 2 3 4 5 6 ♯7 1
Melodic Minor
The ascending melodic minor scale raises scale degrees 6 and 7 of the natural minor
scale.
The descending melodic minor scale lowers scale degrees 6 and 7 back to their
original positions in the natural minor scale.
1 2 3 4 5 ♯6 ♯7 1 ♭7 ♭6 5 4 3 2 1
Learn more with Juliana Han’s Major and Minor Scales video series at tonebase.co
Parallel Major/Minor
B major:
All major scales have a parallel natural
minor scale which shares the same 2 3 2 3 4
"tonic" starting note.
RH: 1 1 (5)
Parallel major and minor scales tend to B natural minor:
share the same fingering.
2 2
RH: 1 3 1 3 4 (5)
Relative Major/Minor
G♯ minor
All major scales have a relative natural
minor scale which shares the same key 2 3 4 2 3 2 3 4
3 1
signature.
RH: 2 1 1 1
To find a major scale’s relative minor,
B major
go down three half-steps from the
B major/G♯ minor key signature
starting pitch.
G♯ minor is the parallel minor to B major.
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B Scales
B Major (1)*
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
etc.
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
B Natural Minor
(1)
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
B Harmonic Minor (1)
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
B Melodic Minor
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
*(1) = if continuing on to the next octave,
use the thumb instead of 5 Learn more with Juliana Han’s Major and Minor Scales video series.
F♯ Scales
F♯ Major
2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2
etc.
4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4
F♯ Natural Minor
3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3
4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4
F♯ Harmonic Minor
3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3
4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4
F♯ Melodic Minor
1 2 3 4 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3
3 4
4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4
Learn more with Juliana Han’s Major and Minor Scales video series.
C♯ Scales
C♯ Major
2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2
etc.
3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
C♯ Natural Minor
3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3
3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
C♯ Harmonic Minor
3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3
3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
C♯ Melodic Minor
2 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3
3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3
Learn more with Juliana Han’s Major and Minor Scales video series.
D♭, G♭, and C♭ Major Scales
D♭ Major
2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2
3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
G♭ Major
2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2
4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4
C♭ Major (1)*
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
etc.
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
*(1) = if continuing on to the next octave,
use the thumb instead of 5 Learn more with Juliana Han’s Major and Minor Scales video series.
