Natural minor scale on guitar
Darker, melancholy. Sad ballads, minor-key rock. Formula 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. In A, the natural minor scale is A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
Formula and step pattern
Steps between neighbouring notes, closing on the octave: W H W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones).
| Degree | Semitones from root | In A |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | A |
| 2 | 2 | B |
| b3 | 3 | C |
| 4 | 5 | D |
| 5 | 7 | E |
| b6 | 8 | F |
| b7 | 10 | G |
Natural minor scale notes in all 12 keys
The root fret columns show where each key starts on the 6th (low E) and 5th (A) strings in standard tuning.
| Key | Notes | Root on 6th string | Root on 5th string |
|---|---|---|---|
| C natural minor | C D Eb F G Ab Bb | 8 | 3 |
| C# natural minor | C# D# E F# G# A B | 9 | 4 |
| D natural minor | D E F G A Bb C | 10 | 5 |
| D# natural minor | D# E# F# G# A# B C# | 11 | 6 |
| E natural minor | E F# G A B C D | Open (and 12) | 7 |
| F natural minor | F G Ab Bb C Db Eb | 1 | 8 |
| F# natural minor | F# G# A B C# D E | 2 | 9 |
| G natural minor | G A Bb C D Eb F | 3 | 10 |
| G# natural minor | G# A# B C# D# E F# | 4 | 11 |
| A natural minor | A B C D E F G | 5 | Open (and 12) |
| Bb natural minor | Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab | 6 | 1 |
| B natural minor | B C# D E F# G A | 7 | 2 |
Fretboard positions: A natural minor
Root in solid cyan, scale tones outlined, from the open strings to fret 15. Slide the pattern along the neck to change key, using the root frets in the table above.
Pick another root in the scale trainer to light up the natural minor scale in any key.
Chords that fit A natural minor
Chords from the chord library built only from notes of A natural minor (A B C D E F G).
Related scales
- Major scale: Same notes, different home note: A natural minor uses the notes of C major.
- Minor pentatonic scale: Minor pentatonic sits inside natural minor, which adds 2 and b6.
- Dorian scale: Same notes, different home note: A natural minor uses the notes of D Dorian. One note apart: Dorian has 6 where natural minor has b6.
- Phrygian scale: Same notes, different home note: A natural minor uses the notes of E Phrygian. One note apart: Phrygian has b2 where natural minor has 2.
- Lydian scale: Same notes, different home note: A natural minor uses the notes of F Lydian.
- Mixolydian scale: Same notes, different home note: A natural minor uses the notes of G Mixolydian.
- Locrian scale: Same notes, different home note: A natural minor uses the notes of B Locrian.
- Harmonic minor scale: One note apart: Harmonic minor has 7 where natural minor has b7.