There are three different types of minor scales:
a) Natural Minor Scale
b) Melodic Minor Scale
c) Harmonic Minor Scale
All three minor scales differ from the major scale by having a flattened third note. This is referred to as a minor third. This gives it its sad, minor sound. Let’s look at the natural minor scale first.
A) NATURAL MINOR SCALE
The Step Pattern is as follows:
| 1st | to | 2nd | = 1 tone | (2 frets) |
| 2nd | to | 3rd | = 1 semitone | (1 fret) |
| 3rd | to | 4th | = 1 tone | (2 frets) |
| 4th | to | 5th | = 1 tone | (2 frets) |
| 5th | to | 6th | = 1 semitone | (1 fret) |
| 6th | to | 7th | = 1 tone | (2 frets) |
| 7th | to | octave | = 1 tone | (2 frets) |
So, in the key of A minor (note, as in C major, there are no sharps or flats), we get:
| tone | semitone | tone | tone | semitone | tone | tone | |||||||||
| A | ^ | B | ^ | C | ^ | D | ^ | E | ^ | F | ^ | G | ^ | A | |
| Frets: | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
On the guitar, we could play it on the G string (3rd string) like this:
Listen:
Since it is not entirely functional to play a scale on a single string, we can find the notes of this scale across all strings, as outlined below.
FINGERING FOR ROOT NOTE ON 5TH STRING:
This pattern can be used when the root note of the natural minor scale falls anywhere on the 5th string.
FINGERING FOR ROOT NOTE ON 6TH STRING:
This pattern can be used when the root note of the natural minor scale falls anywhere on the 6th string.
