The G natural minor scale has two flats — B♭ and E♭ — and shares its notes with B♭ major. It's a comfortable minor scale on most instruments, and it appears regularly in jazz, classical, and film music when a piece wants to feel pensive without becoming heavy.
Interval pattern
The G natural minor scale is built from this fixed pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H):
- Wwhole
- Hhalf
- Wwhole
- Wwhole
- Hhalf
- Wwhole
- Wwhole
Every natural minor scale uses this same pattern. The half-steps fall between scale degrees 2–3 and 5–6.
Scale degrees and intervals
Each note of the scale, with its scale-degree name and interval from the root:
| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | Root | Tonic |
| 2 | A | M2 | Supertonic |
| 3 | Bb | m3 | Mediant |
| 4 | C | P4 | Subdominant |
| 5 | D | P5 | Dominant |
| 6 | Eb | m6 | Submediant |
| 7 | F | m7 | Subtonic / Leading tone |
In melody and improvisation
Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor is one of the most famous pieces in the western canon and a textbook example of how dramatic G minor can sound. In jazz, G minor is a common ballad key; "Summertime" is in G minor (or sometimes A minor depending on the singer).
Relative key
The G natural minor scale shares its notes with Bb major. Same seven pitches, different tonal centre — when a piece moves between them, no accidentals change.
Common mistakes
G natural minor uses Bb and Eb. G harmonic minor adds F# (raising the 7th); G melodic minor going up adds both E natural and F#. When sight-reading G minor, double-check the mode before assuming the F.
Drill it
The Interval Trainer gives you a root note and an interval, and asks you to name the result. Practising the intervals of the G natural minor scale is the fastest way to internalise it as a melodic shape rather than a memorised string of notes.
Open the Interval Trainer →Or drill key signaturesRelated
Frequently asked
- What are the notes in the G natural minor scale?
- G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F.
- How many flats does G minor have?
- Two: B♭ and E♭ — same as its relative major, B♭ major.
- What is the relative major of G minor?
- B♭ major.