Standard tuning · 7 positions · notes & degrees
A Natural Minor Scale on Guitar
The A natural minor scale has 7 notes — A B C D E F G (1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7). The Aeolian mode: the sad, serious sound of minor keys, and the scale minor pentatonic is taken from. Below: every note on the neck, 7 positions to learn (three notes per string), the chords that fit, and a backing track to jam over.
A natural minor scale: the whole neck
7 positions to learn
Each position covers four or five frets so you can play the scale without moving your hand. Learn position 1 first (it starts on the root, A, at fret 5 of the low E string), then join it to the next one up the neck. Press ▶ Play to hear a position up and back down.
Jam over it
Notes and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval from A | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Same notes, different home: A natural minor scale uses exactly the same notes as C major scale — the shapes are identical, only the note you treat as "home" changes.
Chords that go with the A natural minor scale
These chords are built from the same notes, so the natural minor fits over all of them. Tap a chord to see how to play it.
How to practise it
- Slow and even first: play position 1 up and down with the metronome at 60–70 BPM, one note per click, then two.
- Say the notes: switch the view to Degrees and land on the root (A) at the end of every phrase — that is what makes a solo sound finished.
- Connect the positions: once two positions feel easy, slide between them on one string so the neck becomes one big map.
- Make music, not exercises: start the backing above and play short phrases with gaps between them.
Natural minor in other keys
Other scales in A
New to scales? Start with the guitar scales guide, learn the notes with fretboard notes, or test your ear with the daily challenge.
Questions
What notes are in the A natural minor scale?
A, B, C, D, E, F, G. As scale degrees that is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.
How do you play the A natural minor scale on guitar?
Start with position 1: it begins on A at fret 5 of the low E string and covers frets 5–10, three notes per string. The diagrams on this page show every position and the whole neck.
What is the relative major of the A natural minor scale?
C major scale. Both use the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, G, so every position shape is the same; only the home note changes.
What is the natural minor scale used for?
It is used in rock, metal, pop ballads, film music and classical. The Aeolian mode: the sad, serious sound of minor keys, and the scale minor pentatonic is taken from.