All 5 fretboard positions with TAB for the natural minor scale (Aeolian mode). The foundation of rock, metal, and classical guitar.
Root on low E at fret 5 (A). The blue F natural is the flat 6th, the darkest note in the scale.
Start here. Root on low E at fret 5 (A). The flat 6th (F natural) is on the B string at fret 6, one fret below the Dorian 6th.
Root on A string at fret 7 (or D string at fret 2 for other contexts). The flat 6th appears on the A string at fret 8.
Mid-neck position. Root on G string at fret 9. The flat 6th (F) appears on the G string at fret 10.
Octave position of Position 1. Root on low E at fret 12. The flat 6th (F) appears on the high e and low E at fret 13.
High neck position. Root A on high e at fret 17. Connects back to Position 1 an octave up. Flat 6th (F) on D string at fret 15.
| Feature | Natural Minor | Dorian | Harmonic Minor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intervals | 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 | 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7 | 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7 |
| Key difference | b6 and b7 (darkest) | Major 6th (brighter) | Major 7th (classical) |
| Sound quality | Dark, resolved, emotional | Minor but brighter, soulful | Dramatic, exotic, classical |
| In A: b6/6/7 note | F natural (flat 6) | F# (major 6) | F natural + G# (major 7) |
| V chord type | Minor (Am in A: Em) | Minor (Am in A: Em) | Major (Am in A: E major) |
| Best for | Rock, metal, classical, folk | Jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop | Classical, flamenco, neoclassical metal |
| Famous players | Slash, Dimebag, Tony Iommi | Santana, Gilmour, Knopfler | Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore |
| Key | Notes | Flat 6th | Low E Root | Genres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A minor | A B C D E F G | F | Fret 5 | Rock, Metal, Classical, Folk |
| E minor | E F# G A B C D | C | Fret 0 | Rock, Metal, Folk, Fingerstyle |
| B minor | B C# D E F# G A | G | Fret 7 | Metal, Classical, Blues-Rock |
| D minor | D E F G A Bb C | Bb | Fret 10 | Classical, Folk, Singer-Songwriter |
| G minor | G A Bb C D Eb F | Eb | Fret 3 | Classical, Latin, Blues |
| C minor | C D Eb F G Ab Bb | Ab | Fret 8 | Classical, Metal, R&B |
| F minor | F G Ab Bb C Db Eb | Db | Fret 1 | Classical, Metal, Soul |
| F# minor | F# G# A B C# D E | D | Fret 2 | Metal, Blues-Rock, Celtic |
| C# minor | C# D# E F# G# A B | A | Fret 9 | Metal, Rock, Classical |
| G# minor | G# A# B C# D# E F# | E | Fret 4 | Classical, Metal |
E minor (open strings) is the most common minor key on guitar. A minor is the most common for position-based playing starting at fret 5.
| Genre | Common Key | How to Use | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock / Hard Rock | A or E minor | The foundation of minor-key rock riffs. Minor pentatonic is derived from natural minor. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Hendrix. | Add the b6 to pentatonic licks for a slightly darker, more classical sound. |
| Metal / Heavy Metal | E, B, or C# minor | Power chord riffs in minor keys are essentially natural minor. The b6 creates the dark tension between chords. | The i-bVI-bVII progression (Am-F-G) is the most used heavy metal chord sequence. |
| Classical / Fingerstyle | Any key | Western classical music is heavily based on natural minor. Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven use it for dramatic, emotional passages. | The descending bass line using the b6 (Am-G-F-E) is the Andalusian cadence, fundamental to classical guitar. |
| Folk / Celtic | D or G minor | Many Celtic and Appalachian folk songs use the natural minor scale. The mode predates classical theory in Western folk traditions. | Open D minor tuning (DADFAD) makes natural minor chord shapes especially resonant. |
| Singer-Songwriter | C or A minor | Minor keys express introspection, sadness, and longing. The b6 and b7 give emotional range without the intensity of heavy music. | Capo up to shift the key while keeping comfortable chord shapes. A minor with a capo at fret 2 sounds in B minor. |
| Blues-Rock | A or E minor | When players want more darkness than pentatonic gives, adding the b6 from natural minor adds the extra tension and color. | Mix natural minor with blues scale (pentatonic + b5): start pentatonic, resolve through the b6 for a jazzier dark edge. |
The three chords built on scale degrees i, bVI, and bVII in natural minor create the most used rock and metal chord sequence. In A minor: Am - F - G.
The natural minor scale (Aeolian mode) has the formula 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7. In A natural minor the notes are A B C D E F G. It is the foundation of rock, metal, and classical guitar. The minor pentatonic scale is a 5-note subset of it: A-C-D-E-G (dropping the B and F).
Natural minor has a flat 6th (b6) while Dorian has a major 6th. In A minor, natural minor uses F natural while A Dorian uses F#. On guitar in Position 1, this is the B string at fret 6 (natural minor) vs fret 7 (Dorian). Natural minor sounds darker and sadder. Dorian sounds brighter and jazzier.
Position 1 starts at fret 5 with the root on low E. Position 2 at fret 7. Position 3 at fret 8-10 (mid-neck). Position 4 at fret 12 (octave of Position 1). Position 5 at fret 14-17. Together they cover the full fretboard. E minor uses the same shapes at the open position.
Famous natural minor guitar songs include Stairway to Heaven solo by Led Zeppelin (A minor), Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple (G minor), Nothing Else Matters by Metallica (E minor), The Trooper by Iron Maiden (E minor), and Comfortably Numb solo by Pink Floyd (B minor). E minor is the most common because it uses open strings on guitar.