Learn Guitar

For every major guitar scale there is a minor scale. While major scales are all upbeat positive happy-go-lucky type affairs, minor scales have a dour sad type of sound. There are several different types of major scale, but the one you will learn about here is the natural minor scale.

Here is the pattern that you can use to play every major and minor scale.

Full Tone – Full Tone – Half Tone – Full Tone – Full Tone – Full Tone – Half Tone

Begin on Middle C (5th string, 3rd fret) and move up along the neck playing the notes just like the scale pattern above tells you. The notes you will play are

C D E F G A B C

This is the C  Major scale.

The Minor Scale Pattern

You just played the C major scale – C D E F G A B C

Now look at the 6th note of the C Major scale. This note tells you what the equivalent minor scale to C Major is. In this case it is A minor.

Using the same scale pattern again, but starting on A this time, instead of C, you end up playing these notes – A B C D E F G A. This is the A minor scale.

Filed under: Learn Guitar Scales