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Scale · Reference entry

B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale

Major b6 Pentatonic Scale · B♭ – C – D – F – G♭ – B♭ · intervals P1-M2-M3-P5-m6

The B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale contains the notes B♭, C, D, F, and G♭. Its step pattern is W-W-m3-H-A2. The major pentatonic with the 6th flatted — pairs well with altered dominants in modern jazz.

At the keyboard

Bb · C · D · F · Gb
Flashcards · Scale
Three questions on B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale
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The B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic scale contains five notes: B♭, C, D, F, and G♭. It follows the whole-step / half-step pattern W-W-m3-H-A2.

B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale Notes

DegreeNameNoteInterval
1RootB♭P1
2Major 2ndCM2
3Major 3rdDM3
5Perfect 5thFP5
♭6Minor 6thG♭m6
8OctaveB♭P8

Key Signature

The notes of the B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale come from Bb Major, so it carries that key signature: 2 flats (B♭, E♭).

B♭E♭

Written as accidentals

G♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

BEADGCF

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the notes of the B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale on piano?
The B♭ Major b6 Pentatonic Scale uses the notes B♭ – C – D – F – G♭ – B♭. Play them in order from the root up to the octave, hands separately first, then together.
What notes are in the Bb Major b6 Pentatonic Scale?
The Bb Major b6 Pentatonic Scale contains five notes: Bb – C – D – F – Gb. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.
How many sharps or flats does Bb Major b6 Pentatonic have?
The Bb Major b6 Pentatonic Scale carries the key signature of Bb Major — 2 flats: B♭, E♭. The remaining alterations are written as accidentals: G♭.
What is the relative minor of Bb Major b6 Pentatonic?
The relative minor of Bb Major b6 Pentatonic is G Minor. Both scales share the same key signature and the same seven notes — the difference is which note feels like "home." That's why a song in C major and a song in A minor look identical on the staff but feel completely different.
What is the parallel minor of Bb Major b6 Pentatonic?
The parallel minor of Bb Major b6 Pentatonic is Bb Minor. "Parallel" means same root, opposite mode — the third, sixth, and seventh are all a half-step lower in the minor version. Modal interchange (borrowing chords from the parallel key) is one of the most useful tricks in pop and jazz writing.
What does the Bb Major b6 Pentatonic Scale sound like?
The Bb Major b6 Pentatonic Scale has an open, singable sound with no half-steps — common in folk, country, and pop melodies. With only five notes, the pentatonic scale avoids the most dissonant intervals — every note in the scale sounds good against every other, which makes it ideal for soloing.

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References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this scale page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Prout, Ebenezer(1889)

    Harmony: Its Theory and Practice

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Goetschius, Percy(1889)

    The Material Used in Musical Composition

    Public domain treatise
  4. 4

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