Standard tuning · 7 positions · notes & degrees
Bb Natural Minor Scale on Guitar
The Bb natural minor scale has 7 notes — Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab (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.
Bb 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, Bb, at fret 6 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 Bb | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bb | root | 0 |
| 2 | C | major 2nd | 2 |
| ♭3 | Db | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | Eb | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | F | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | Gb | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | Ab | minor 7th | 10 |
Same notes, different home: Bb natural minor scale uses exactly the same notes as Db major scale — the shapes are identical, only the note you treat as "home" changes.
Chords that go with the Bb 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 (Bb) 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 Bb
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 Bb natural minor scale?
Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab. As scale degrees that is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.
How do you play the Bb natural minor scale on guitar?
Start with position 1: it begins on Bb at fret 6 of the low E string and covers frets 6–11, three notes per string. The diagrams on this page show every position and the whole neck.
What is the relative major of the Bb natural minor scale?
Db major scale. Both use the notes Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, 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.