G A B♭ C D E♭ F 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 7 positions Position 1 at frets 3-8
The natural minor, or Aeolian mode, is the darker twin of the major scale: rock ballads, metal riffs and film themes live in it. It has the same notes as its relative major, centred on another root. On the guitar it falls into 7 positions. Position 1 starts on the root, frets 3-8. The root G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string.
e|-------------------------------5-6-8-| B|-------------------------4-6-8-------| G|-------------------3-5-7-------------| D|-------------3-5-7-------------------| A|-------3-5-6-------------------------| E|-3-5-6-------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------6-8-10-| B|-------------------------6-8-10--------| G|-------------------5-7-8---------------| D|-------------5-7-8---------------------| A|-------5-6-8---------------------------| E|-5-6-8---------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------8-10-11-| B|-----------------------------8-10-11---------| G|----------------------7-8-10-----------------| D|---------------7-8-10------------------------| A|--------6-8-10-------------------------------| E|-6-8-10--------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------10-11-13-| B|---------------------------------10-11-13----------| G|-------------------------8-10-12-------------------| D|-----------------8-10-12---------------------------| A|---------8-10-12-----------------------------------| E|-8-10-11-------------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------------11-13-15-| B|-------------------------------------11-13-15----------| G|----------------------------10-12-14-------------------| D|-------------------10-12-13----------------------------| A|----------10-12-13-------------------------------------| E|-10-11-13----------------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------------13-15-17-| B|-------------------------------------13-15-16----------| G|----------------------------12-14-15-------------------| D|-------------------12-13-15----------------------------| A|----------12-13-15-------------------------------------| E|-11-13-15----------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------3-5-6-| B|-------------------------3-4-6-------| G|-------------------2-3-5-------------| D|-------------1-3-5-------------------| A|-------1-3-5-------------------------| E|-1-3-5-------------------------------|
Strings from the low E (left) to the high E (right), frets numbered on the left. Magenta dots are the root, G. The tab under each diagram plays the position from its lowest note to its highest; play it back down the same way.
The positions above are slices of this map. They overlap: the highest notes of one are the lowest notes of the next, so once you know two neighbours you can slide from one to the other along a string.
7 notes: G A B♭ C D E♭ F. In whole (W) and half (H) steps: W H W W H W W. The half steps are where the scale gets its colour.
| Note | Degree | Interval from the root | Half steps | Fret on the low E string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Root | 0 | 3 |
| A | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 | 5 |
| B♭ | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 | 6 |
| C | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 | 8 |
| D | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 | 10 |
| E♭ | b6 | Minor 6th | 8 | 11 |
| F | b7 | Minor 7th | 10 | 1 |
Start with Position 1, root under the index finger on the low E string, and play it over a minor chord drone. Resolve phrases on the root, the minor third and the fifth.
Same notes, another root: B♭ major. The shapes on the neck are the same; only the note you start and end on changes.
The harmonic minor raises the 7th degree by a half step, which gives the scale a stronger pull back to the root. Compare the two: G harmonic minor.
Set the tempo low, play each position up and down with the button above, then try it yourself at the same speed. Raise the tempo by 4 BPM only when it is clean.
Going up: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, then G an octave higher. Its formula is 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7.
Start with position 1, frets 3-8: the root G is under your finger 1 on the low E string. Play three notes on each string, from the low E to the high E, then back down. The diagrams and tabs on this page show all 7 positions.
On the low E string at fret 3, on the A string at fret 10. Those two root notes anchor most scale positions and barre chords.
The harmonic minor raises the 7th degree by a half step, which gives the scale a stronger pull back to the root.
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