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A minor scale (natural minor)

It has 7 notes: A B C D E F G. Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

Degree12♭345♭6♭7
NoteABCDEFG

Patterns

Strings run like tab: high e on top. Numbers are scale degrees; amber dots are the root.

Position 4Open position, frets 0–3 · root A
eBGDAE1235b6b712b345b6b712b345b6b7
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 0 (5), 1 (b6), 3 (b7)
  • B: 0 (2), 1 (b3), 3 (4)
  • G: 0 (b7), 2 (1)
  • D: 0 (4), 2 (5), 3 (b6)
  • A: 0 (1), 2 (2), 3 (b3)
  • E: 0 (5), 1 (b6), 3 (b7)
Position 5Frets 1–5 · root A
eBGDAE12345b6b712b345b6b712b345b6b71
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 1 (b6), 3 (b7), 5 (1)
  • B: 1 (b3), 3 (4), 5 (5)
  • G: 2 (1), 4 (2)
  • D: 2 (5), 3 (b6), 5 (b7)
  • A: 2 (2), 3 (b3), 5 (4)
  • E: 1 (b6), 3 (b7), 5 (1)
Position 1Frets 4–8 · root A
eBGDAE4567812b345b6b712b345b6b712b3
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 5 (1), 7 (2), 8 (b3)
  • B: 5 (5), 6 (b6), 8 (b7)
  • G: 4 (2), 5 (b3), 7 (4)
  • D: 5 (b7), 7 (1)
  • A: 5 (4), 7 (5), 8 (b6)
  • E: 5 (1), 7 (2), 8 (b3)
3 notes per string, from the rootFrets 5–10 · root A
eBGDAE567891012b345b6b712b345b6b712b34
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 7 (2), 8 (b3), 10 (4)
  • B: 6 (b6), 8 (b7), 10 (1)
  • G: 5 (b3), 7 (4), 9 (5)
  • D: 5 (b7), 7 (1), 9 (2)
  • A: 5 (4), 7 (5), 8 (b6)
  • E: 5 (1), 7 (2), 8 (b3)
Position 2Frets 6–10 · root A
eBGDAE6789102b345b6b712b345b6b712b34
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 7 (2), 8 (b3), 10 (4)
  • B: 6 (b6), 8 (b7), 10 (1)
  • G: 7 (4), 9 (5)
  • D: 7 (1), 9 (2), 10 (b3)
  • A: 7 (5), 8 (b6), 10 (b7)
  • E: 7 (2), 8 (b3), 10 (4)
Position 3Frets 8–12 · root A
eBGDAE89101112b345b6b712b345b6b712b345
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 8 (b3), 10 (4), 12 (5)
  • B: 8 (b7), 10 (1), 12 (2)
  • G: 9 (5), 10 (b6)
  • D: 9 (2), 10 (b3), 12 (4)
  • A: 8 (b6), 10 (b7), 12 (1)
  • E: 8 (b3), 10 (4), 12 (5)

Same notes, different home

These scales use exactly the same notes, centered on a different root.

Chords it fits

This scale in other keys

Other scales in A

Learn it in the course