B Major Scale - Emily Learning Music

B Major Scale it starts and ends with B. The relative minor of B Major is G# minor. Both of these keys have F#, C#, G#, D# and A#.

B Major Key Signature

Here’s the key signature for B Major – F#, C#, G#, D# and A#.

key signature of B Major in treble clef. This is also the key signature for G# minor, the relative minor of B Major.

key signature of B Major in bass clef. This is also the key signature for G# minor, the relative minor of B Major.

key signature of B Major in alto clef. This is also the key signature for G# minor, the relative minor of B Major.

key signature of B Major in tenor clef. This is also the key signature for G# minor, the relative minor of B Major.

Notes in the Scale of B Major

When we play a scale, we usually start off with an ascending scale (the notes get higher), followed by descending scale (the notes get lower).

Ascending scale of B Major: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B

Descending scale of B Major: B, A#, G#, F#, E, D#, C#, B

Degrees of the Scale

Degrees of the scale refers to the number we assign to each note of a scale. When we are assigning degrees of a scale, we look at the scale in ascending order. Here are the notes for the various degrees of the B Major scale:

1st degree: B

2nd degree: C#

3rd degree: D#

4th degree: E

5th degree: F#

6th degree: G#

7th degree: A#

Technical Names of Notes in B Major

Instead of using the degree of the scale, we can also use technical names of notes.

tonic – B

supertonic – C#

mediant – D#

subdominant – E

dominant – F#

submediant – G#

leading note – A#

Semitones and Tones

In all major scales, they follow this:

Pairs of notes	Tone or semitone apart?
1st -> 2nd	tone
2nd -> 3rd	tone
3rd -> 4th	semitone
4th -> 5th	tone
5th -> 6th	tone
6th -> 7th	tone
7th -> 8th	semitone

Most adjacent pairs of notes in the major scale are a tone apart, except for the 3rd to 4th note, and the 7th to the 8th note. This doesn’t apply just to B Major scale, but for ALL major scales. By knowing the distance between the notes in a Major scale, we can form any major scale even if we do not know its key signature.

In this case, the semitones are found here:

From D# to E (3rd to 4th note)
From A# to B (7th to 8th note)

B Major Scale on different clefs.

Here’s how the B Major scales look like in treble clef (without key signature). I’ve also included the fingerings:

B Major ascending and descending scales in treble clef with fingerings included.

Here’s how the B Major scales look like in bass clef (without key signature). I’ve also included the fingerings:

B Major ascending and descending scales in bass clef with fingerings included.

Here’s how the B Major scales look like in alto clef.

B Major ascending and descending scales in alto clef.

Here’s how the B Major scales look like in tenor clef (without key signature).

B Major ascending and descending scales in tenor clef.

How to play the B Major scale on the piano

The fingerings for the right hand part of the B Major scale are:

B -1/5 (Use 5th finger for the highest note of the scale)

C#- 2

D#- 3

E – 1

F# – 2

G#- 3

A# – 4

The fingerings for the left hand part of the B Major scale are:

B -4/1 (Use the 4th finger for the lowest note, the rest should be played with the 1st finger or thumb)

C#- 3

D#- 2

E –1

F# – 4

G#- 3

A# – 2