G♭ Neapolitan Minor at a glance
Neapolitan minor got popular in 18th-century Italian opera. Works great for dark, dramatic classical and film scoring contexts. Built on the root G♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where G♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | G♭ A𝄫 B𝄫 C♭ D♭ E𝄫 F |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2m · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6m · 7M |
| Step pattern | H W W W H W+H H |
| Chords in the key | G♭mA𝄫B𝄫+C♭mD♭(♭5)E𝄫F–A𝄫–C♭ |
Chords in the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
G♭ Neapolitan Minor on the piano
Improvisation drone · G♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano G♭ Neapolitan Minor uses two black keys (G♭ and D♭) and five white. A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭ and E𝄫 are the white keys you'd normally call G, A, B and D.
G♭ · A𝄫 · B𝄫 · C♭ · D♭ · E𝄫 · F
Try G♭ Neapolitan Minor on the virtual piano
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G♭ Neapolitan Minor on the guitar
G♭ Neapolitan Minor - fr 0–12
G♭ Neapolitan Minor on the staff
Notes of the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | A𝄫 | minor 2nd2m | 1 | |
| 3 | B𝄫 | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | C♭ | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | D♭ | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | E𝄫 | minor 6th6m | 8 | |
| 7 | F | major 7th7M | 11 |
What makes G♭ Neapolitan Minor different
Neapolitan minor is harmonic minor with a lowered second. That ♭2 is the only note separating it from harmonic minor, and it builds the Neapolitan ♭II chord into the scale. Its first four notes match Phrygian while its top half matches harmonic minor, leading tone included. The result is a minor scale with half steps on both sides of the tonic. On G♭, G♭ Neapolitan Minor has A𝄫 where G♭ Harmonic Minor has A♭; every other note is shared with G♭ Harmonic Minor (G♭ A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭ E𝄫 F).
How to use the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale
The diatonic chords of G♭ Neapolitan Minor are: i = G♭m, II = A𝄫, III+ = B𝄫+, iv = C♭m, V♭5 = D♭(♭5), VI = E𝄫, VII = F–A𝄫–C♭. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in G♭ Neapolitan Minor. Each one in the chord table on this page opens its own diagram and progressions.
Neapolitan minor got popular in 18th-century Italian opera. Works great for dark, dramatic classical and film scoring contexts.
Practice tips
Practise this alongside harmonic minor to feel the difference that flat second makes.
Formula & step pattern
The G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale follows harmonic minor with a flat second degree, popularised by Italian opera. Step pattern: H - W - W - W - H - W+H - H. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2m · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6m · 7M. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear G♭ Neapolitan Minor
Start with the music described above: listen for G♭ Neapolitan Minor in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale?
The G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale contains G♭, A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭, D♭, E𝄫 and F.
What is the formula for the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale?
G♭ Neapolitan Minor follows harmonic minor with a flat second degree, popularised by Italian opera.
Is G♭ Neapolitan Minor a major or minor scale?
G♭ Neapolitan Minor is a neapolitan minor scale. Harmonic minor with a flat second - dark, classical and instantly recognisable.
What chords belong to the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale?
The diatonic chords of G♭ Neapolitan Minor are G♭m, A𝄫, B𝄫+, C♭m, D♭(♭5), E𝄫, F–A𝄫–C♭.
Which genres use G♭ Neapolitan Minor?
Neapolitan minor got popular in 18th-century Italian opera. Works great for dark, dramatic classical and film scoring contexts.
How do you play the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale on the piano?
On the piano G♭ Neapolitan Minor uses two black keys (G♭ and D♭) and five white. A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭ and E𝄫 are the white keys you'd normally call G, A, B and D.
What is the difference between G♭ Neapolitan Minor and G♭ Harmonic Minor?
On G♭, G♭ Neapolitan Minor has A𝄫 where G♭ Harmonic Minor has A♭; every other note is shared with G♭ Harmonic Minor (G♭ A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭ E𝄫 F).
How do I practise the G♭ Neapolitan Minor scale?
Practise this alongside harmonic minor to feel the difference that flat second makes.