G minor scale on piano

G minor runs G – A – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G. Natural minor follows whole–half–whole–whole–half–whole–whole steps. The key signature is 2 flats (B♭, E♭). B♭, E♭ are black keys; the other 5 scale notes are played on white keys. The last G is the first note again, one octave higher.

G minor notes and fingering

Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger). These are the one-octave ascending fingerings for the natural-minor form, one hand at a time:

Fingering source: LearnMusicTheory.net, “Major and Natural Minor Scales for Piano,” §2.7.

Play slowly until every note has the same length. At a 1 in the middle of the right-hand row, pass the thumb underneath. At a 3 or 4 after left-hand 1, cross that finger over. Descend by reversing the same finger numbers. The altered notes of harmonic and melodic minor may call for a different fingering; this table is for natural minor.

Key signature and relative key

G minor has 2 flats (B♭, E♭). Its relative major is B♭ major. The relative major starts on B♭, three half steps above G. They share a key signature and the same seven notes.

Natural, harmonic and melodic minor

In classical practice, melodic minor usually comes down with the natural-minor notes: G · F · E♭ · D · C · B♭ · A · G. The keyboard's Play up and down button follows that convention when you select melodic minor.

The seven chords in G minor

Stack every other scale note to make three-note chords. The Roman numeral tells you which degree supplies the root; upper-case numerals are major, lower-case are minor, and ° means diminished.

The v chord here comes from natural minor. Raising degree 7 for harmonic minor changes it to a major V, D.

Progressions to try

To learn the scale first, press Practice scale. Follow the highlighted key from G up to the next G and back down; it waits for each correct note. Stop ends practice or playback. The exercise checks the notes at your own pace, without a timing grade or saved result.

Open a pattern, then press Play to hear it in G minor.

• i – iv – v – i: Gm – Cm – Dm – Gm. These chords use only the natural-minor notes above.
• i – V – i: Gm – D – Gm. The V chord uses the raised 7th from harmonic minor, giving a stronger pull back to i.

Play the scale up and down, then try each progression without leaving the key. Start one hand at a time, and use the highlighted keyboard above to check any note. To repeat the chord changes at a steady tempo, choose G minor in the chord progression generator and build one of the patterns above. The scale finder and piano chord finder let you compare other keys.