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A minor scale on guitar

Every note of the scale on the neck, 7 positions with tab, and the chords to play it over. Tap a note on the fretboard to hear it.

A Natural minor (Aeolian): A (1) · B (2) · C (♭3) · D (4) · E (5) · F (♭6) · G (♭7)

E1
B2
G3
D4
A5
E6

Swipe the neck sideways to see frets up to 15.

Tap any fret to hear its note.

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About the A minor scale

A minor is the natural minor scale, also called Aeolian. It has the same notes as C major but starts on A, which gives it its darker sound.

Notes of the A minor scale

A minor has 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are 2-1-2-2-1-2-2 frets.

  • A1
  • B2
  • C♭3
  • D4
  • E5
  • F♭6
  • G♭7

A minor scale positions

Seven positions with three notes on each string cover the whole neck. Three notes per string keeps your hand in one place and makes fast runs even. Position 1 starts on the root, A, on the low E string.

  1. Position 1

    Frets 5–10
    EADGBe5678910ABCDEFGABCDEFGABCD
    e|----------------------------------------------7--8--10-8--7-----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------6--8--10----------------10-8--6--------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------5--7--9-----------------------------------9--7--5-----------------------------|
D|-------------------5--7--9-----------------------------------------------------9--7--5--------------------|
A|----------5--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------------------8--7--5-----------|
E|-5--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8--7--5--|

  2. Position 2

    Frets 7–12
    EADGBe789101112BCDEFGABCDEFGABCDE
    e|----------------------------------------------8--10-12-10-8-----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------8--10-12----------------12-10-8--------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------7--9--10----------------------------------10-9--7-----------------------------|
D|-------------------7--9--10----------------------------------------------------10-9--7--------------------|
A|----------7--8--10----------------------------------------------------------------------10-8--7-----------|
E|-7--8--10----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10-8--7--|

  3. Position 3

    Frets 8–13
    EADGBe8910111213CDEFGABCDEFGABCDEF
    e|----------------------------------------------10-12-13-12-10----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------10-12-13----------------13-12-10-------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------9--10-12----------------------------------12-10-9-----------------------------|
D|-------------------9--10-12----------------------------------------------------12-10-9--------------------|
A|----------8--10-12----------------------------------------------------------------------12-10-8-----------|
E|-8--10-12----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12-10-8--|

  4. Position 4

    Frets 10–15
    EADGBe101112131415DEFGABCDEFGABCDEFG
    e|----------------------------------------------12-13-15-13-12----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------12-13-15----------------15-13-12-------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------10-12-14----------------------------------14-12-10----------------------------|
D|-------------------10-12-14----------------------------------------------------14-12-10-------------------|
A|----------10-12-14----------------------------------------------------------------------14-12-10----------|
E|-10-12-13----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13-12-10-|

  5. Position 5

    Frets 12–17
    EADGBe121314151617EFGABCDEFGABCDEFGA
    e|----------------------------------------------13-15-17-15-13----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------13-15-17----------------17-15-13-------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------12-14-16----------------------------------16-14-12----------------------------|
D|-------------------12-14-15----------------------------------------------------15-14-12-------------------|
A|----------12-14-15----------------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12----------|
E|-12-13-15----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15-13-12-|

  6. Position 6

    Frets 1–7
    EADGBe1234567FGABCDEFGABCDEFGAB
    e|-------------------------------3-5-7-5-3-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------3-5-6-----------6-5-3-------------------------|
G|-------------------2-4-5-----------------------5-4-2-------------------|
D|-------------2-3-5-----------------------------------5-3-2-------------|
A|-------2-3-5-----------------------------------------------5-3-2-------|
E|-1-3-5-----------------------------------------------------------5-3-1-|

  7. Position 7

    Frets 3–8
    EADGBe345678GABCDEFGABCDEFGABC
    e|-------------------------------5-7-8-7-5-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------5-6-8-----------8-6-5-------------------------|
G|-------------------4-5-7-----------------------7-5-4-------------------|
D|-------------3-5-7-----------------------------------7-5-3-------------|
A|-------3-5-7-----------------------------------------------7-5-3-------|
E|-3-5-7-----------------------------------------------------------7-5-3-|

Filled notes are the root, A. The tab runs up the position and back down.

Chords that go with A minor

These are the chords of the scale: a triad built on each of its notes. Any progression made of them works with A minor.

  1. Ami
  2. Bdimii°
  3. CIII
  4. Dmiv
  5. Emv
  6. FVI
  7. GVII

Relative scale

A minor has the same notes as C major. You can play the same shapes; what changes is the note you treat as home, C.

C major scale

How to practise the A minor scale

  1. Learn position 1 first. Play it up and down slowly with a metronome until every note is even.
  2. Say or hear the root each time you pass it, so you always know where home is.
  3. Join two positions: slide from the top of one into the next until you can move across the neck.
  4. Improvise over the chords above with only three or four notes at first, then add more.

Hear A minor in a real song

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A minor scale FAQ

What notes are in the A minor scale?

A, B, C, D, E, F, G. The formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

How many positions does the A minor scale have?

Seven, when it is played with three notes on each string, as on this page. It is also taught as five CAGED shapes; both cover the whole neck with the same notes.

What chords go with the A minor scale?

Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G.

What is the difference between A minor and A harmonic minor?

A harmonic minor raises the seventh note to G♯. That gives a stronger pull back to the root and a major chord on the fifth. A harmonic minor scale

More guitar scales

All guitar scales