The B major scale on flute is the scale of the key of B natural or five sharps. This implies that its tonic note is B natural. B major is relative to the key of G-sharp minor, parallel to the key of B minor, dominant to the key of F-sharp major, enharmonic to the key of C-flat major, and subdominant to the key of E major. Below is a two octaves scale of B major on the flute and how it sounds;
How to play the B major scale on the flute, its notes, and fingering chat
You can only play a B major scale of two octaves on the flute, being between the ranges of B5 – B7. You need to use a fingering chart or a particular pattern to play the B major scale on the flute. Below is a guide and finger chart of how to play the B major scale on the flute;
First octave B major scale notes (B5 – B6) fingering chart for flute
To play the first octave (B5 – B6) B major scale on the flute, you have to sharpen the F note, C note, G note, D note, and A note. Your fingering needs to be accurate in other to produce a perfect scale. Below is a chart for the first octave of the B major scale on the flute;
Second octave B major scale notes (B6 – B7) fingering chart for flute
To play the second octave (B6 – B7) B major scale on the flute, you have to sharpen the F note, C note, G note, D note, and A note. Your fingering needs to be accurate in other to produce a perfect scale. Learning the scale might be hard for beginners. You will also have to tighten your lips to produce higher-pitched notes. Below is a chart for the second octave B major scale on the flute;
Concert B major scale
While playing the B major scale, or playing a composition written in B major for the flute in a concert, you will have to sharpen the F note, C note, G note, D note, and A note unless where indicated to be naturalized. This means that all notes except the F note, C note, G note, D note, and A note are played naturally while playing this scale on the concert flute, Indian or Bansuri flute, Native American flute, pan flute, Arabian flute, and any other flute.
If you play an alto flute or any other transposable flute, you can play the B major scale without any transposition. But while running the B major scale with another instrument that is not transposable, you will then have to transpose to the right key in other to sound the same with them in pitch.
B major scale flute notes and arpeggio
The B major scale can be played up to two octaves on a C flute, or the standard concert flute. The first note of this scale on the C flute is the B natural note on the third line of the treble clef which in the range is the B5.
The notes or alphabets that you will play to get this scale correctly include; B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B. The two-octave arpeggio of this scale has its notes as B, D♯, F♯, B, D♯, F♯, B, F♯, D♯, B, F♯, D♯, B.
Notable flute compositions in B major
- Andante, Op.33 by Theobald Boehm
- Caprice No. 11 in B major from 26 Little Caprices, Op. 37 by J. Andersen
- Duet No. 57 in B major from Méthode de flûte, Op. 100 by J.-L. Tulou
- La donna è mobile from Rigoletto by G. Verdi for Flute and Piano
- Larghetto from Grand Trio No. 1 in E minor, Op. 86, No. 1 by F. Kuhlau
- March on the Drina by S. Binički
- Prélude in B major, No. 58 from 55 Easy Pieces, Op. 22 by J.B. de Boismortier
- Study No. 11 in B major from 24 Etudes mélodiques, Op. 110 by C. Kummer
- Study No. 11 in B major from 26 Exercises, Op. 107 by A.B. Fürstenau
- Study No. 11 in B major from 24 Etudes for Flute, Op. 30 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 11 in B major from 24 Etudes for Flute, Op. 15 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 11 in B major, No. 11 from 24 Etudes for Flute, Op. 33 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 11 in B major from 24 Etudes for Flute, Op. 21 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 11 in B major from 24 Etüden zur Förderung der Technik, Op. 12 by E. Prill
- Study No. 11 in B major from 30 Etüden in allen Tonarten, Op. 6 by E. Prill
- Study No. 11 in B major from Exercices journaliers pour la flûte, Op. 71 by A. Terschak
- Study No. 11 in B major from 24 Technische Studien, Op. 11 by E. Prill
- Study No. 14 in B major from 15 Etudes modernes, élégantes et progressives by G. Gariboldi
- Study No. 15 in B major from 24 Etudes, Op. 37 by T. Boehm, Flute solo
- Study No. 15 in B major from 18 Exercises or Etudes for Flute by B.T. Berbiguier
- Study No. 15 in B major from 24 Caprice-Etudes, Op. 26 by T. Boehm
- Study No. 17 in B major from Méthode pour la flûte by L. Drouet
- Study No. 17 in B major from 24 Tägliche Studien, Op. 125 by A.B. Fürstenau
- Study No. 19 in B major from 30 Studi, Op. 32 by L. Hugues
- Study No. 19 in B major from 22 Studies in Expression and Facility, Op. 89 by E. Köhler
- Study No. 21 in B major from 30 Studies for Flute Solo, Op. 107, No. 21 by S. Karg-Elert
- Study No. 21 in B major from 40 Esercizi per Flauto, Op. 101 by L. Hugues
- Study No. 25 in B major from 50 Etudes mélodiques, Op. 4 by J. Demersseman
- Study No. 26 in B major from 40 Nuovi Studi, Op. 75 by L. Hugues
- Study No. 27 in B major from Studi per il flauto by N. Dôthel
- Study No. 28 in B major from 40 Nuovi Studi, Op. 75 by L. Hugues
- Study No. 59 in B major from 72 Studies for the Boehm Flute by L. Drouet
- Study No. 8 in B major from 50 Etudes mélodiques, Op. 4 by J. Demersseman
- The Flower Duet from Lakmé by L. Delibes
