Natural Minor Scale or Relative Minor Scale - Guitar Scale Lessons

The Natural Minor Scale is played by starting and stopping on the 6th note of a Major scale. The natural minor scale is also known as the Aeolian Mode or Relative Minor scale.

The Formula for a Natural Minor Scale: whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step OR by lowering the 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes of the major scale a half step.

C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
1 2 3b 4 5 6b 7b 8

The notes of scales are often numbered to help show their relationship to eachother in the scale and also when being used to build chords. The chart below shows the C Major scale and how the A Natural Minor Scale is taken from it.

Natural Minor Scale Guitar Diagrams


Since the A Natural Minor Scale was taken from the C Major Scale, the A Natural Minor Scale is called the Relative Minor Scale of C Major.

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Notes of a two octave C Major Scale and its Relative Minor Scale, the A Natural Minor Scale

Natural Minor Scale

Natural Minor Scale Guitar Tabs

The Notes of the G Major Scale showing its Relative Minor scale, the E Natural Minor Scale.

G A B C D E F# G A B C D E F# G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

E Natural Minor Scale Tab

The Notes of the D Major Scale and its Relative Minor Scale, the B Natural Minor Scale.

D E F# G A B C# D E F# G A B C# D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

B Natural Minor Scale Tab

Natural Minor Scale Tabs

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e|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
G|-----------------|
D|-----------4-6-7-|
A|-----4-5-7-------|
E|-5-7-------------|
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