G-flat major
tonality
G-flat major is a major scale based on G-flat. Its key signature has six flats.
| ||
| Relative key | E♭ minor | |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel key | G♭ minor enharmonic: F♯ minor | |
| Dominant key | ||
| Subdominant | ||
| Notes in this scale | ||
| G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F, G♭ | ||
Its relative minor is E-flat minor, and its parallel minor is G-flat minor. This is usually replaced by F♯ minor because G♭ minor's two double-flats make it generally impractical to use.
Its enharmonic equivalent is F-sharp major, whose key signature also has six accidentals. In writing music in E major for B-flat instruments, it is preferable to use a G-flat rather an F-sharp key signature.
G-flat major is sometimes used as a main key for piano works, such as the impromptus of Chopin and Schubert, but rarely for orchestra.
Austrian composer Gustav Mahler liked to use G-flat major in his symphonies.