B-flat note

The Solution below shows the position of note B-flat on the piano, treble clef and bass clef.

The Lesson steps then describe the note characteristics and relationship with the notes around it, and also lists which scales the note is in.

For a quick summary of this topic, have a look at Note name.

Note names on the piano
KeyCC#DbDD#EbEE#FbFF#GbGG#AbAA#[Bb]BB#Cb

Solution

1. B-flat note

This step shows note B-flat on two octaves, on the piano, treble clef and bass clef.

Bb is a black key on the piano.

Another name for Bb is A#, which has the same note pitch / sound, which means that the two note names are enharmonic to each other.

It is called flat because it is 1 half-tone(s) / semitone(s) down from the white note after which is is named - note B.

B-flat note

Middle C (midi note 60) is shown with an orange line under the 2nd note on the piano diagram.

These note names are shown below on the treble clef followed by the bass clef.

B-flat note

B-flat note

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

Lesson steps

1. Piano key note names

This step shows the white and black note names on a piano keyboard so that the note names are familiar for later steps, and to show that the note names start repeating themselves after 12 notes.

The white keys are named using the alphabetic letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, which is a pattern that repeats up the piano keyboard.

Every white or black key could have a flat(b) or sharp(#) accidental name, depending on how that note is used. In a later step, if sharp or flat notes are used, the exact accidental names will be chosen.

Sharp and flat note names

The audio files below play every note shown on the piano above, so middle C (marked with an orange line at the bottom) is the 2nd note heard.

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

2. B-flat note

This step shows note B-flat in two different positions on the piano, and describes the note characteristics.

Bb is a black key on the piano.

Another name for Bb is A#, which has the same note pitch / sound, which means that the two note names are enharmonic to each other.

It is called flat because it is 1 half-tone(s) / semitone(s) down from the white note after which is is named - note B.

The next note up from Bb is B.

Or put another way, B is 1 half-tone / semitone higher than Bb.

The next note down from Bb is A.

Or put another way, A is 1 half-tone / semitone lower than Bb.

B-flat note

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

3. Note B-flat is found in which scales ?

This step shows which scales note B-flat occurs in, including the scale degree (ie. position / scale note number) of that scale.
Note B-flat is found in which scales ?
B-flat is the submediant of Db major scale (sixth note)
B-flat is the dominant of Eb major scale (fifth note)
B-flat is the subdominant of F major scale (fourth note)
B-flat is the mediant of Gb major scale (third note)
B-flat is the supertonic of Ab major scale (second note)
B-flat is the tonic of Bb major scale (first note)
B-flat is the leading tone of Cb major scale (seventh note)
B-flat is the subtonic of C natural minor scale (seventh note)
B-flat is the submediant of D natural minor scale (sixth note)
B-flat is the dominant of Eb natural minor scale (fifth note)
B-flat is the subdominant of F natural minor scale (fourth note)
B-flat is the mediant of G natural minor scale (third note)
B-flat is the supertonic of Ab natural minor scale (second note)
B-flat is the tonic of Bb natural minor scale (first note)
B-flat is the submediant of D harmonic minor scale (sixth note)
B-flat is the dominant of Eb harmonic minor scale (fifth note)
B-flat is the subdominant of F harmonic minor scale (fourth note)
B-flat is the mediant of G harmonic minor scale (third note)
B-flat is the supertonic of Ab harmonic minor scale (second note)
B-flat is the tonic of Bb harmonic minor scale (first note)
B-flat is the leading tone of Cb harmonic minor scale (seventh note)
B-flat is the submediant of Db melodic minor scale (sixth note)
B-flat is the dominant of Eb melodic minor scale (fifth note)
B-flat is the subdominant of F melodic minor scale (fourth note)
B-flat is the mediant of G melodic minor scale (third note)
B-flat is the supertonic of Ab melodic minor scale (second note)
B-flat is the tonic of Bb melodic minor scale (first note)
B-flat is the leading tone of Cb melodic minor scale (seventh note)
B-flat is the sixth note of  C blues scale
B-flat is the fifth note of  Eb blues scale
B-flat is the fourth note of  E blues scale
B-flat is the fourth note of  Fb blues scale
B-flat is the third note of  F blues scale
B-flat is the second note of  G blues scale
B-flat is the first note of  Bb blues scale
B-flat is the sixth note of  B# blues scale
B-flat is the fifth note of  Db major pentatonic scale
B-flat is the fourth note of  Eb major pentatonic scale
B-flat is the third note of  Gb major pentatonic scale
B-flat is the second note of  Ab major pentatonic scale
B-flat is the first note of  Bb major pentatonic scale
B-flat is the fifth note of  C minor pentatonic scale
B-flat is the fourth note of  Eb minor pentatonic scale
B-flat is the third note of  F minor pentatonic scale
B-flat is the second note of  G minor pentatonic scale
B-flat is the first note of  Bb minor pentatonic scale

Related Keys and Topics