Minor scale · 7 notes
A minor scale on guitar
The A minor scale has 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The natural minor scale: the major scale’s darker twin, with a ♭3, ♭6 and ♭7.
Notes
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
W – H – W – W – H – W – W
Sound
Dark, sad or serious, without being exotic
A minor on the whole fretboard
Every A minor note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, A, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
A at fret 5. 4th position: frets 4–8.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of A minor as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from A, the A minor scale is built from these intervals. It has no sharps or flats: every note is a natural. Compared with A major, it has C (♭3) instead of C♯, F (♭6) instead of F♯ and G (♭7) instead of G♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | root | 0 |
| 2 | B | major 2nd | 2 |
| ♭3 | C | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | D | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | E | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | F | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | G | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in A minor
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to A minor: any of them will sound at home under a melody in A minor.
- iAmA · C · EAm7
- ii°B°B · D · FBm7♭5
- ♭IIICC · E · GCmaj7
- ivDmD · F · ADm7
- vEmE · G · BEm7
- ♭VIFF · A · CFmaj7
- ♭VIIGG · B · DG7
Progressions to try
- Am – F – C – G i–♭VI–♭III–♭VII · epic rock/pop
- Am – Dm – Em i–iv–v · minor blues-style
- Am – G – F – G i–♭VII–♭VI–♭VII · rock riffing
- Am – Dm – G – C i–iv–♭VII–♭III · circle movement
How to use A minor
Reach for it over songs in a minor key, over minor and minor 7th chords, and in rock, metal, pop ballads and folk. Its sound is dark, sad or serious, without being exotic.
Tip: Every minor scale shares its notes with a major scale three frets higher. If you know G major, you already know E minor: just treat E as home.
- A minor is the relative minor of C major, so the two share all seven notes. See C major.
- A minor contains exactly the notes of C major, played from its Aeolian note, A. See C major.
Where to find A on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every A between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with A |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 5 |
| B (2nd) | 10 |
| G (3rd) | 2 |
| D (4th) | 7 |
| A (5th) | 0, 12 |
| Low E (6th) | 5 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as A minor. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
A minor scale FAQ
What notes are in the A minor scale?
The A minor scale has 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It has no sharps or flats: every note is a natural.
What chords are in A minor?
Harmonising the A minor scale in thirds gives Am (i), B° (ii°), C (♭III), Dm (iv), Em (v), F (♭VI) and G (♭VII).
Where do you play the A minor scale on guitar?
The root, A, is at fret 5 on the low E string and fret 0 and 12 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 4–8, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as A minor?
A minor is the relative minor of C major, so the two share all seven notes. A minor contains exactly the notes of C major, played from its Aeolian note, A.